Most city council appointments don’t make national headlines. But the appointment of Jessica Roberts to the Lynwood City Council did recently.
Roberts was unanimously selected for the position before her online activity came to light. Prior to the appointment, Roberts had an active OnlyFans account with a bio that read: “A bisexual transwoman with itty bitty t*tties and a big girl c*ck. C*m have a fun time with meeee.”
But it didn’t stop there. Sexually explicit content was publicly accessible on her Instagram profile, as well as fetish content she wrote about on Reddit. One Reddit account that appears to belong to Roberts wrote: “I love the idea of grabbing a pretty girl and using her as a breeding pet. And once I’ve gotten her pregnant, sharing her with my fellow trans fems.”
Once the information was made public, residents began calling in with their concern, and other city council members also began expressing their doubts.
Councilman David Parshall also shared his concerns in a statement.
“Her newly discovered social media comments, particularly those pertaining to the treatment of women display a character that is not in alignment with the expectations that I have for a fellow council member.”
Roberts initially responded to the concern, saying, “The Lynnwood City Council’s decision to meet on Thursday is the members doing their due diligence. While I appreciate, and understand the concern, regarding the revelations around my personal life, this would not impact my ability to do the job I was appointed to do or my ability to serve my fellow residents.”
However, after releasing the statement, Roberts seems to have had a change of heart. She announced that she was withdrawing from the position, adding: “My personal life and identity do not in any way affect my ability to do the job. However, I have decided to withdraw my appointment, not because I am unwilling to serve the people in my community, but because the continued scrutiny of my personal life is a potential distraction from the council’s forward progress.”
This entire scenario has people wondering if an OnlyFans account should keep someone out of a government office. As for Lynwood City, they are asking the question directly. City Council member Derika Escamilla said in regards to the question: “I have calls into the city clerk and executive assistant with similar questions, as well as questions regarding the ‘blind’ appointment process.”
But there are other cities, states, and even federal governments beginning to question online activity, including OnlyFans accounts and how it could impact a person’s ability to serve well in office. In some circumstances, it doesn’t seem to matter. Or it could even be seen as a good thing. At least, that’s what seems to be the case in Columbia.
OnlyFans model Laura Martínez who awarded a one-year contract with the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management where she will receive 101,400,000 pesos for her services. (That equates to roughly $24,350 in US dollars). And many people in her country were outraged, as it seems that Martínez only graduated from high school and has no higher education.The model does claim that she received a certificate in industrial engineering from the San José Higher Education Foundation, but the truth is that it is likely her OnlyFans persona that is causing so many people to question the decision.
As more people join OnlyFans as creators and users, the question of whether or not an account could disqualify someone from holding an office will become more and more common.