Sex Twitter: Should We Cancel It or Celebrate It?

The upside, downside, and sexy side of Twitter

Recently, I discovered something about Twitter that I had no idea existed.

Maybe because I’m naive. Maybe because my engagement on Twitter didn’t trigger the algorithm to show me this side of the social media platform. Whatever the reason, I stumbled upon Sex Twitter.

While doing some topic research for articles, I entered the general word “sex” into my research tool. One of the terms that showed up was Sex Twitter — with an enormous amount of monthly searches.

Curious, I clicked on the term to find out exactly what it meant. I had no idea what I was about to learn.

The more I dug into it, the more I found myself wondering, is Sex Twitter good or bad? Should we cancel it or celebrate it? Should we march in the streets or enjoy it in the sheets?

Let’s explore the sexy side of Twitter.

What Is Sex Twitter?

Sex Twitter is a part of Twitter that is not safe for work (NSFW).

When I clicked through to the actual Twitter feeds, I found myself staring at multiple accounts that posted nothing but porn. I’m not talking about blurred images that take you to another site.

No, no, no.

You could play short pornographic videos right from the Twitter feed. From what I could tell, absolutely nothing was off-limits. I don’t remember even getting a message asking if I wanted to see this content or not.

Sex Twitter is more than just sex videos, though.

On this risque side of the platform, you can also find discussions of sex work, Only Fans, and other sex-related content. In an era of cancel culture and political correctness, Sex Twitter is surprisingly progressive.

Sex Twitter Examples

It’s hard to fully grasp the true nature of Sex Twitter without first seeing it for yourself.

Before you explore Sex Twitter, I feel the need to remind you that the content is not safe for work or small children. If you don’t enjoy pornography or find it offensive, you probably don’t want to check it out either.

I won’t link any examples of Sex Twitter here, but the content is pretty easy to find. If you’re interested, just Google “Sex Twitter.”

When you click through to any account on Sex Twitter, what greets you is essentially Twitter’s version of PornHub. It’s 100% free pornographic content curated for your pleasure.

As I mentioned before, nothing is off-limits, nothing is taboo, nothing is typically blocked or blurred to protect unsuspecting visitors.

But, then again, if you find Sex Twitter, you’re probably looking for it.

Sex Work on Twitter

On Twitter, you can find a lot of accounts related to sex work. You can also find ample discussions revolving around sex, sex work, and the entire sex industry.

There are some hashtags that allow you to more easily find this content:

• #sexwork
• #sexworkers
• #SexWorkIsWork

What will you see on these hashtags?

You’ll see conversations about the decriminalization of sex work versus legalization. You’ll see lots of accounts promoting their Only Fans or other paid sex content.

Why Is Sex Twitter Not Shut Down?

In researching this article, I found out that Twitter is historically a very welcoming place for sex platforms, pornography, and sex work in general.

Unlike other social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, Twitter does not immediately flag, ban, or shut down pornographic content.

Twitter’s sensitive media policies are pretty clear and straightforward.

However, all that may change. As you’ll soon see, many sex workers are abandoning Twitter for other more welcoming platforms.

Should We Cancel Sex Twitter?

Let’s face it: Sex Twitter isn’t for everyone.

There is a number of reasons why we should cancel Sex Twitter. Off the top of my head, a few of those reasons might include personal preferences, matching the standards of other social media platforms, and legal issues.

Some people feel offended when they see anything related to sex on Twitter. In our cancel culture, a large enough group of Twitter users (tweeters?) might sway the social media giant.

Most other platforms censor, block, and blacklist accounts that post sexual-related content. Getting rid of erotic content seems like standard practice in the industry.

There’s also the concern over legality. Sex work isn’t legal everywhere, so regulating legality with international audiences can get tricky. The easier approach is to simply ban all sexualized content.

Finally, sex trafficking is a real and serious problem. Maintaining posts about sex work, prostitution, and related content may be unintentionally supporting organized crime, human trafficking, and sex abuse.

All of these concerns seem like really good reasons for canceling Sex Twitter.

Should We Celebrate Sex Twitter?

If you enjoy pornography or want to talk about sex, you might really enjoy Sex Twitter. If you’d rather avoid pornographic content or any content about sex, it seems pretty easy to avoid.

I’ve been on Twitter for a long time and I had no idea that a section of Twitter was reserved for these topics. And, mind you, I’m not actively trying to avoid Sex Twitter.

Therefore, my guess is that Twitter’s algorithm knows what it’s doing and will feed you the content you enjoy based on your past engagement with the platform.

What I like about Sex Twitter is that it is progressive, sex-positive, and provides a platform for discussions of very important topics.

While I don’t directly engage with Sex Twitter much, its existence speaks to free speech, preferences, and the evolution of mainstream sexual discourse.

An article in Dazed shares how the rise of “Alt Twitter” accounts has opened up a public space for sharing adult content with anonymity. Sex workers have a place to promote their content, often the financial foundation of their livelihood.

Other users see Sex Twitter as a way to embrace their sexuality and identity without shame or judgment.

Nudity, sex, and even pornography are not inherently evil or bad. Sustaining taboos on sex-related topics only perpetuate stigmas, judgment, and the overall restriction of our sexuality.

Anyone who has studied history knows the familiar pattern that starts with restrictions and ends with disaster. There’s a reason why the prohibition of alcohol didn’t last long in the United States.

Is Twitter Banning Sex Accounts?

The debate over Sex Twitter might be moot. In February of 2021, Rolling Stone published an alarming article by EJ Dickson about Sex Twitter.

The subheading of the article reads:

Twitter has long been an adult-friendly platform — but an increasing number of sex workers are getting banned or suspended, leaving many wondering how long they’ll be welcome.

The article tells the story of Genesis Lynn, who runs an industry trade show called Fetish Con. Unlike the pornography accounts on Twitter, Lynn runs a clean Twitter feed with scantily clad (but not fully nude) men and women.

In today’s world of TikTok and Instagram models, seeing some skin is hardly scandalous.

Over the last 11 years, Lynn has relied on Twitter to promote the convention and interact with fans. Everything was going swimmingly until December 2020, when she tried to log into her Twitter account and discovered that she had been banned.

She tried to contact Twitter to get back into her account, but the social media giant never responded. After two other big sites, Clips4Sale and Model Central, also got kicked off Twitter, the industry started to panic.

Corey Silverstein, an attorney who works with many adult industry clients, said:

The phone hasn’t stopped ringing. It’s just been ongoing messages of people being terrified they’re going to lose everything.

In response to the article, a Twitter representative said that they have not changed their sensitive media policy recently and have no plans to broadly de-platform sex workers.

Whether this is true or not probably depends on your personal experience and interest in Sex Twitter. Regardless, the fear and paranoia surrounding Twitter are nothing new.

In 2020, Mashable published an article called “Twitter and the Porn Apocalypse.” The bottom line is that all of these cycles of panic reveal how entirely reliant many sex workers are on the platform. A crackdown on adult content might not impact the majority of Twitter users, but it might be a small-scale apocalypse for many sex workers.

Is Switter the Real Sex Twitter?

Switter is Twitter’s sexier, wilder twin sister.

Even in 2018, over 100,000 sex workers used the platform based out of Austria, where prostitution is legal. Switter even calls itself a “sex work-friendly social space”.

There are now 385 thousand users on the platform.

Because sex work is legal in Austria, users of the platform can freely communicate with customers and other sex workers without fear of legal consequences.

Does this mean that anyone in the world can legally offer sex work through this platform?

I’m not a lawyer, so I can’t answer that question, but it does seem like this might be at least somewhat of a legal loophole. However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t encourage you to seek the insight of an actual attorney before setting up shop.

The low price of a lawyer consultation is much cheaper than any potential legal fines or consequences.

The existence of Switter adds to our debate. If we have Switter, do we even need Sex Twitter?

Final Thoughts

I find Sex Twitter to be fascinating and a little strange.

Strange not because of the topics of sex and sex work, but because of its very existence in the world that seems so adamant to stamp down on anything that might offend other people.

I actually think it’s a refreshing change that I hope Twitter (and Switter) continues.

Therefore, my personal conclusion is that Sex Twitter should be celebrated but closely monitored for any hint of sex trafficking, scams, or abuse. Many sex workers actively and intentionally engage in their services.

If someone chooses to offer sex-related services as their career, I think that’s their choice. It’s our choice whether or not we participate.