In the age of technology, social media has transitioned into a tool for promoting someone or their work. Still, it’s difficult to understand whether someone’s profile represents them accurately in their real life.
Sophomore Bailey Underwood came across an OnlyFans promotion circulating social media before deciding to join in August 2020. When the pandemic started, many people joined the content subscription site, trying to make an income amid widespread job insecurity.
Underwood was in a tough spot: She was out of work, she broke her foot, and she needed to find a way to pay her school and medical bills.
“Starting an OnlyFans was based on the money at first,” Underwood said. “I just opened up the app, and I was like, ‘Might as well just create an account and see what happens.’”
Underwood works multiple day jobs and sees her work on OnlyFans as a mix between a side hustle and sex work.
“I’m putting my body out there. I’m presenting myself a certain way, and I’m making money off of my body,” she said. “But then, for me, it’s like a hustle because you have to be smart about it and do things that would get you more followers or more likes and more money.”
Underwood’s online persona, called “babyplutoxxx,” comes from a name influenced by the rapper Lil Uzi Vert. She uses the alter ego to get in touch with her more sexual and confident side.
On Instagram and Twitter, Baby Pluto takes control of OnlyFans promotion, as she posts censored pictures to give potential subscribers a glimpse of her content.
There are many misconceptions and presumptions about any form of sex work, but there’s a higher level of exposure when that work is online and easily accessible.
Because Underwood uses her social media to promote her content, many people believe that she’s always like her persona and willing to have sex at any given moment.
“I’ve had a lot of issues with guys, and I would say one of the main impacts [of having an OnlyFans] has been my dating life,” she said. “You know, guys will hit me up on Instagram and say really nasty, disrespectful things.”
She’s also mistaken for someone who has sex in exchange for money and receives numerous messages with these kinds of offers.
“The point of OnlyFans is that I’m not meeting up with anyone,” Underwood said. “I’m in control of it. It’s just me and whoever I’m shooting with.”
A primary concern with having an OnlyFans is maintaining privacy. Underwood’s mother became aware of her OnlyFans early in her career due to a privacy breach.
“Someone who knew me, like a college student, sent all my content to my sorority president and my mom’s work email through an anonymous message,” she said.
Underwood explains that it’s tricky to balance promoting her content and exposing too much on social media. She believes it’s important to separate her real life from OnlyFans.
“Both lives can intertwine, but I think that having a separation is good because you still want to keep your sense of identity in a way,” she said.
In her regular, day-to-day life, Underwood is just like any other college student. She’s a full-time student, juggling 15 credit hours as a business marketing and computer information systems double major. She’s also working towards getting into law school.
Underwood is connected to her spirituality and loves simple things like cooking and hanging out with friends.
While she uses the site to make money, Underwood sees the endeavor as an opportunity to have fun and gain confidence.
“OnlyFans is my way of expressing myself in a feminine way,” she said.
Sex work is not easy money, and Underwood wants anyone interested in pursuing this type of work to be aware of the pros and cons. It takes a good support group, tough skin and a strong sense of self-worth to succeed on the platform.
“Don’t be worried about other people because no matter what you do or post on social media, someone is going to say something,” she said. “Someone is not going to like what you’re posting, and it doesn’t matter what. OnlyFans made me realize you do not need the approval of everyone, which I think I was striving for so long.”
Manni Lawrence, better known as “Manni Supreme” on social media, is known as the “Most Energetic Entertainer.” His presence is everywhere, from radio shows to student news reporting, and Lawrence’s YouTube channel has over 10,000 subscribers, with his most popular video exceeding 200,000 views.
When Lawrence started his YouTube channel, people used to joke and ask him why he had so much energy.
During an impromptu rap battle with friends over PS4, Lawrence came up with the lyric, “I’m the most energetic entertainer.” The name has stuck since then.
As an entertainer, he often hosts parties and helps to organize live events. His skill in the entertainment industry tied with his outgoing personality gave him the chance to create a robust, online presence that matches his real-life personality.
Social media dramatically affects the way Lawrence promotes himself and finds opportunities. He received a spot on MTV’s “Revenge Prank” due to his online presence. A representative from Gobstopper TV sent him a direct message with the offer.
“I thought it was a hoax when I got the DM at first. I’m like, ‘Why would you be reaching out to me?’” Lawrence said.
In Lawrence’s opinion, social media allows him to showcase his energy to the masses.
“[With social media, I can show] who I am and how I act regularly. Like how even the furniture in the room and I just get along, you know?” he said. “Just showing that energy has helped put me in a position that I can only thank God for.”
Lawrence is only a sophomore and has gained a lot of success as an entertainer in a short amount of time, including interviewing rappers like Mulatto and attending high-end events like rapper Lil Baby’s birthday party.
At Lil Baby’s birthday party, he met DJ Drama, a record executive who Lawerence believes is the most famous person that follows his content.
“He came up to me, and he was like, ‘Hey man, I’ve been following your YouTube, keep doing what you’re doing,’” Lawrence said. “There were a whole bunch of celebrities at this event, and I’m just there…it was crazy. Like it was surreal.”
Lawrence’s typical day looks just as busy as it does on his Instagram stories, from meetings with GSU Spotlight as a live event director to hosting the Atlanta Hawks Talon GC live Twitch stream.
He’s usually hosting, doing schoolwork, working on YouTube or helping people manage their social media accounts.
“My life is continuous. I feel like I’m a hamster on a wheel,” he said. “You know, how the world is just spinning. That’s my head on a continuum, but it’s good. I like to be productive.”
Despite the more extravagant events Lawrence hosts and attends, he believes his coolest event was being a kids’ summer camp counselor.
As a counselor of many years, Lawrence hosted summertime conferences and planned activities for the children. These conferences were one of his first experiences hosting large amounts of people.
“It was just very thrilling to me to see the kids’ faces, responses to different things that I would have them do at the conferences, and it just made me feel so good,” he said.
In the future, Lawrence’s dream is to host a late-night show of his own.
“I’m going to take over for Jimmy Fallon,” Lawrence said. “I want ‘The Tonight Show with Manni Supreme.’ That’s my ultimate goal.”
