Ever had your payout from OnlyFans flagged as “suspicious” because it trickled in as a dozen micro-transactions? Yeah, that’s the daily grind for way too many in adult. But one badass is done letting banks dictate who gets to thrive.
Valentine’s War on Adult Financial Blacklisting
Picture this: a burlesque vet turned lawyer, shimmying from stage lights to boardrooms, now spearheading a revolution at the Free Speech Coalition. Valentine ain’t just talking rights—they’re building infrastructure to back it up.
From Tassels to Tortes: The Wild Path In
Back in 2007, Valentine was grinding burlesque circuits, rubbing elbows with sex workers who became family. Musical theater degree? Check. Arts management master’s? Done. But law school in 2021? That was the pivot.
“I was out about my sex work history from day one,” they say. No hiding, no shame. Enter Reed Lee, First Amendment legend, who saw gold in their “weird” goals and hooked them up with FSC gigs.
This was exactly what I had been waiting for. It just felt like kismet.
– Valentine on spotting the deputy role
Fast-forward to fall 2024: they’re in, deputy executive director, ready to rumble.
The Credit Union Gambit That’s Shaking Banks
Year one? Dominated by one monster project: an adult-focused credit union. Think co-op banking that gets erratic cam girl earnings or clip site floods without auto-freezing accounts.
Valentine’s out there translating: adult lingo for suits, finance speak for creators. “Six small payments in a row? Not fraud— that’s tips, dummies.”
- Sporadic big hauls triggering mortgage denials.
- Loans vanishing despite solid income.
- Platforms yanking processing over “high-risk” BS.
It’s all stigma, they hammer home. We bleed the same, hustle harder, yet fight for basic credibility.
Lived Experience as the Ultimate Weapon
Valentine’s edge? They’ve been the performer dodging client creeps, the consultant navigating creative chaos. Now layering legal chops to dismantle stereotypes.
As Black, queer, nonbinary, and disabled, they spot intersections others miss. “Marginalized folks get hit hardest—compounded barriers everywhere.”
People don’t see our humanity unless they have a direct connection to the industry.
– Valentine
Lawyers snort coke? Crickets. Sex workers manage finances? Scrutiny apocalypse. Cognitive dissonance much?
Burnout? Nah, Cats and Karaoke
Advocacy’s a beast. Extra gigs with Decrim Illinois? Intense. But Valentine’s hacking balance: solo movie runs (popcorn hoarding rights), crosswords, belting karaoke, cat cuddles, burlesque encores.
“Pouring into art just for me? Chef’s kiss.”
Year Two: IP Battles and Quiet Litigation Wins
No courtroom dancing for them—strategy ninja in the shadows. IP protections, dodging lawsuits before they spark, steering FSC through wins and gut-punches.
Shoutout to the dream team: Alison Boden, Jeffrey Douglas. “Healthiest spot I’ve worked. Fully seen? Rare as hell.”
Big picture? Flip the narrative. We’re diverse AF—dreamers, hustlers, humans. Progress lives in proving it, one policy, one account, one unapologetic voice at a time.
And yeah, check ACLU for broader free speech fights echoing this vibe. Valentine’s charge? It’s the spark adult needs to bank like bosses.
