The sex work industry is governed by an informal social hierarchy known as the 'whorearchy', where a worker's standing depends on what they offer, how much they charge, and how much skin they show. Emily Mai, a 34-year-old OnlyFans creator based in Melbourne who earns about £20,000 per month, has detailed this stratification system.
Full-service escorts at the top
High-end escorts who charge premium rates sit at the top of the hierarchy. Emily explains that escorts charging too little face judgement from peers, with an expectation that hourly rates should start around $1,000 Australian dollars (£525) rather than $600 (£315). Those who don't charge extra for services like anal can be accused of undermining sex work.
Escort Lillith Lodge, who charges over £1,000 per appointment, adds that some escorts offer a girlfriend experience or porn star experience, with anal often an additional cost due to the prep work involved. 'That guy might then book another escort and expect the same thing as part of the girlfriend experience,' she says.
Content creators face dismissal
Full-service escorts may look down on OnlyFans creators who don't do in-person work, viewing them as not 'real' sex workers. Emily recounts an incident at an industry event where a full-service provider's demeanour changed upon learning she only did content: 'The conversation just died.'
Conversely, some content creators distance themselves from the label, with one OnlyFans model bragging about earning $50,000 per month (£26,270) from 'non-explicit content' such as bikini and feet pictures. Sophie Rain, who describes herself as a virgin and a Christian, has 8.9 million Instagram followers and posts 'bikini pictures and stuff' without explicit content.
Strippers and association
Strippers enjoy camaraderie in changing rooms, but the whorearchy persists there too, with some asserting they don't do full-service. Emily advises vetting collaborators carefully, as brand association can lead to assumptions about one's work.
Emily concludes that all workers, regardless of gender, are 'all just trying to make money', and that whether someone sells pictures of their boobs or performs other acts, 'it's still all sex work'.
