On Thursday, following years of speculation, a grand jury in New York voted to indict former President Donald Trump.
The charges stem from a $130,000 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels
ahead of the 2016 election. Daniels claims she had an affair with Trump,
which Trump has denied.
The indictment is historic in that it marks the first time a U.S.
president has ever faced criminal charges. But it’s also notable for
another reason: at the time she was thrust into the spotlight, Daniels
was a famous pornographic actor who is now arguably one of the most
historically significant sex workers alive.
As a member of a marginalized and stigmatized group, Daniels is now
being heralded by many members of the left as the woman who brought
Trump down — even though his 2024 campaign will continue as he faces
charges, and jail time is far from guaranteed. She’s also being
celebrated by many members of her own community, who feel her moment in
the spotlight may be an opportunity to change the cultural conversation
surrounding sex work.
Trump’s indictment, and Daniels’ involvement, “is going to be
polarizing in the general public, obvi,” fetish performer Allie Eve Knox
tells Rolling Stone. “Stormy is going to be seen as both a
hero and a whore. [But] I am tickled as hell that after all the
scandals, corruption, etc, it is a smart, brave woman in a bimbo costume
that was able to take him down.”
When the allegations against Trump first became public in 2016, the
reaction among sex workers was somewhat more mixed. “Honestly, I felt
that my goodness, because it was so sensationalized, sex workers will be
even more targeted because she is coming forward,” says Alexia Woodroe,
an escort out of Toronto. Because one of the number one tenets of the
industry is discretion, some wondered why Daniels would break “the
number one commandment” of sex work and come forward, even though Trump
did not pay Daniels for sex nor hire her in her capacity as a sex
worker.
Over time, however, as more became known about the intimidation tactics
Trump and his attorney used to silence Daniels (including threatening
her with a goon while she was outside a fitness class with her infant
daughter) that view changed. “If there’s a safety issue or any kind of
fear, that is the only time we will disclose,” says Woodroe. “I was
really proud of her. She has gone through a lot and been really
courageous.”
For years, coverage of the case primarily focused on the perceived
salaciousness of Daniels’ profession, with late-night talk show hosts
and headline writers making crass jokes about the industry. “Frankly,
the whorephobia on display from both parties is extremely concerning,”
says adult performer and content creator Allie Awesome.
Many sex workers were also disappointed to see the majority of the
coverage focus on Daniels’ profession rather than the actual alleged
fraud Trump is now being charged with. “It’s not the sex that is the
issue, or even who it is with,” says Jetsetting Jasmine, a
psychotherapist and adult film star and director. “It is the illegal
behavior that is taking him down.”
The reaction to the indictment could be indicative of a shift in how
not only Daniels, but also the industry at large, has been perceived. “I
think the country’s attitude has softened some, mostly because of the
explosion of OnlyFans during the pandemic,” says Knox, referring to the
rise of the subscription-based platform initially popularized by sex
workers which now boasts high-profile users like Cardi B and Bhad
Bhabie. “Now everyone knows someone that has an OnlyFans.”
That’s not to say, however, that the climate for sex workers in the
United States has become any less oppressive. With anti-trafficking
legislation like SESTA/FOSTA, which sex workers claim puts them at
increased risk, still in effect, and far-right groups clamoring to shut
down platforms like Pornhub, it’s a scary time for sex workers. The fact
that Daniels has a relatively large amount of cultural capital compared
to most other sex workers is not lost on many in the community.
“Stormy Daniels is white, blonde, thin. She meets the desirability
criteria society has set on women. If anyone is believable, she is the
one who would be believed,” says Woodroe. “And the fact she has been
able to do this says a lot about the privilege she holds.” That said,
some sex workers are hopeful that Daniels’ prominence in the media will
have a “trickle-down effect” on how people view sex work in general,
perhaps even on the legislative level, with some sex workers on Twitter
joking that the indictment could open to the door to broader cultural
discussion of decriminalization.
Now, “people will know not to mess with us, hopefully,” says Woodroe.
“If she can take down the POTUS, even the least of us can have an
impact.”
