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I have no judgement on these models. Everyone can make money through legal means as they deem fit. But at the same time, the immigration system historically pe

I have no judgement on these models. Everyone can make money through legal means as they deem fit. But at the same time, the immigration system historically penalized anyone who engages in prostitution and actively denied entry to people found to be engaged in it. There is an explicit question about this in all immigration forms. Which is why it’s surprising that O-1 visas are being awarded to OnlyFans models. Maybe OF isn’t prostitution according to how it’s being interpreted, but it’s very surprising.

mrguyorama 10mo ago
Why should prostitutes not be allowed to immigrate to the US?
- darth_avocado 10mo ago
  That is beyond my pay grade. I’m just stating how the immigration system has worked historically.
- rurban 10mo ago
  Because their abilities are not in the extraordinary artistic abilities category. It's not Hollywood, it's Florida.
palata 10mo ago
If OnlyFans is not prostitution (and in my understanding it is not), then I don't see why it is surprising?
nemomarx 10mo ago
how would it be interpreted as prostitution? the close analogue is porn stars right
- gampleman 10mo ago
  Porn comes from pornē, Greek for prostitute. So at least etymologically (and arguably logically as both involve sex for money) porn is prostitution. If that’s accepted, then I find it hard not to also accept OF as a form of prostitution.
  - ghef453 10mo ago
    School comes from skholē, Greek for "leisure" or "spare time.". Therefore people can't be stressed for finals at university, since it's all leisure! “Etymologically, X comes from Y, therefore X is a form of Y” is quite the jump in logic...
- darth_avocado 10mo ago
  Well Sweden sure thinks it could be a form of prostitution. While Some form of OF is similar to pornography (pre recorded shows) other is similar to prostitution and therefore illegal (paying for custom live sexual acts). Obviously Sweden isn’t US, but it’s not as clear as “OF is just porn”. https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2025-06-10/sweden-parliament-criminalizes-the-purchase-of-online-sexual-acts/ https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2025-06-10/swe...
deleted 10mo ago
[deleted]
areoform 10mo ago
Disclaimer: I don't mean this comment as an insult to you or anyone else here. It's meant to be slightly tongue in cheek. I hate to be that person, but the fact that so many people on HN think OF is prostitution is revealing of the site's demographics (i.e. older). It is, as some may put it, boomer thinking. You're misunderstanding what these people - esports athletes, successful streamers, influencers, OF models etc - actually do. They create and maintain parasocial relationships. The point isn't just the gameplay or nudes / sex videos or commentary. For e.g., I (and a bunch of other young women for some reason) love to watch Temet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go8EJbNaIHg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go8EJbNaIHg while working. It's the way they reflect back to their audience and allow them to become a part of their performance. It's kind of like the place where everyone knows your name? These are digital third places and the content (whether it be neon blue bunny hopping characters or a graphic video of someone having sex) is a mechanism for bonding / a part of the activity. Kind of like the alcohol at the pub, I suppose. That's where real influence comes from in this age. If you think OF is prostitution, you're fundamentally misunderstanding what will drive power and culture in this century.
- TheOtherHobbes 10mo ago
  There's a strong parasocial element to traditional prostitution, although it's used more by high-end "escorts" who deliberately cultivate conversational skills. So none of this is new. "My default strategy was this: I would invite the man in, we’d sit down and talk for a while. I’d establish physical contact in the conversation by touching his hand when laughing at a joke, or crossing my leg so it bumped into his. I would become increasingly charmed, utterly fascinated by his life, and I asked him to explain to me concepts I already knew (remember, they like you smart in order to validate their identity as a man who likes smart women, and they still love teaching you things)." https://knowingless.com/2021/10/19/becoming-a-whorelord-the-overly-analytical-guide-to-escorting/ https://knowingless.com/2021/10/19/becoming-a-whorelord-the-...
- etblg 10mo ago
  > I hate to be that person, but the fact that so many people on HN think OF is prostitution is revealing of the site's demographics (i.e. older). It is, as some may put it, boomer thinking. Well it's not non-existent either, there are a fair number of onlyfans models (and also general actors in the field of pornography who do the same) who do escorting on the side.
ixtli 10mo ago
Idk if you mean it literally but conflating the sort of prostitution they ask about on immigration forms with taking naked pictures of yourself seems very wrong.

mrguyorama 10mo ago

Why should prostitutes not be allowed to immigrate to the US?

darth_avocado 10mo ago
That is beyond my pay grade. I’m just stating how the immigration system has worked historically.
rurban 10mo ago
Because their abilities are not in the extraordinary artistic abilities category. It's not Hollywood, it's Florida.

palata 10mo ago

If OnlyFans is not prostitution (and in my understanding it is not), then I don't see why it is surprising?

nemomarx 10mo ago

how would it be interpreted as prostitution? the close analogue is porn stars right

gampleman 10mo ago
Porn comes from pornē, Greek for prostitute. So at least etymologically (and arguably logically as both involve sex for money) porn is prostitution. If that’s accepted, then I find it hard not to also accept OF as a form of prostitution.
- ghef453 10mo ago
  School comes from skholē, Greek for "leisure" or "spare time.". Therefore people can't be stressed for finals at university, since it's all leisure! “Etymologically, X comes from Y, therefore X is a form of Y” is quite the jump in logic...
darth_avocado 10mo ago
Well Sweden sure thinks it could be a form of prostitution. While Some form of OF is similar to pornography (pre recorded shows) other is similar to prostitution and therefore illegal (paying for custom live sexual acts). Obviously Sweden isn’t US, but it’s not as clear as “OF is just porn”. https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2025-06-10/sweden-parliament-criminalizes-the-purchase-of-online-sexual-acts/ https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2025-06-10/swe...

deleted 10mo ago

[deleted]

areoform 10mo ago

Disclaimer: I don't mean this comment as an insult to you or anyone else here. It's meant to be slightly tongue in cheek. I hate to be that person, but the fact that so many people on HN think OF is prostitution is revealing of the site's demographics (i.e. older). It is, as some may put it, boomer thinking. You're misunderstanding what these people - esports athletes, successful streamers, influencers, OF models etc - actually do. They create and maintain parasocial relationships. The point isn't just the gameplay or nudes / sex videos or commentary. For e.g., I (and a bunch of other young women for some reason) love to watch Temet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go8EJbNaIHg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go8EJbNaIHg while working. It's the way they reflect back to their audience and allow them to become a part of their performance. It's kind of like the place where everyone knows your name? These are digital third places and the content (whether it be neon blue bunny hopping characters or a graphic video of someone having sex) is a mechanism for bonding / a part of the activity. Kind of like the alcohol at the pub, I suppose. That's where real influence comes from in this age. If you think OF is prostitution, you're fundamentally misunderstanding what will drive power and culture in this century.

TheOtherHobbes 10mo ago
There's a strong parasocial element to traditional prostitution, although it's used more by high-end "escorts" who deliberately cultivate conversational skills. So none of this is new. "My default strategy was this: I would invite the man in, we’d sit down and talk for a while. I’d establish physical contact in the conversation by touching his hand when laughing at a joke, or crossing my leg so it bumped into his. I would become increasingly charmed, utterly fascinated by his life, and I asked him to explain to me concepts I already knew (remember, they like you smart in order to validate their identity as a man who likes smart women, and they still love teaching you things)." https://knowingless.com/2021/10/19/becoming-a-whorelord-the-overly-analytical-guide-to-escorting/ https://knowingless.com/2021/10/19/becoming-a-whorelord-the-...
etblg 10mo ago
> I hate to be that person, but the fact that so many people on HN think OF is prostitution is revealing of the site's demographics (i.e. older). It is, as some may put it, boomer thinking. Well it's not non-existent either, there are a fair number of onlyfans models (and also general actors in the field of pornography who do the same) who do escorting on the side.

ixtli 10mo ago

Idk if you mean it literally but conflating the sort of prostitution they ask about on immigration forms with taking naked pictures of yourself seems very wrong.