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James Fishback, Republican gubernatorial candidate in Florida, has launched an explosive proposal in the midst of his campaign: a 50% tax on the earnings of content creators on OnlyFans.
In an interview with the conservative podcast NXR Studios, the politician stated:
"As Governor of Florida, in my first year, I will implement the first tax of its kind: a 50% sin tax on OnlyFans profits."
Fishback justifies the measure under the classic concept of "sin tax", historically used to tax products like tobacco or alcohol, with the aim of discouraging behaviors viewed as harmful to society.
In this case, the "sin" is the adult content online.
“It is a sin, number one. But the purpose of a sin tax in economics is to disincentivize and discourage behavior,” he explained.
A controversial use of funds: Men's mental health and crisis pregnancies
According to the candidate, the revenue generated by this tax, estimated at over 200 million dollars, would be allocated to fund educational programs, crisis pregnancy centers, and the creation of a new position: a "mental health czar" focusing on men.
Fishback believes that the rise of platforms like OnlyFans poses a moral and cultural threat that must be addressed by the power of the State.
And she has not hesitated to name some of the women involved in this economy.
Miami: Epicenter of the conflict
The proposal has a clear target: South Florida, and especially Miami, a city that has established itself as the U.S. capital of OnlyFans.
According to data from Madhouse Labs, the city even surpasses Las Vegas in the density of creators per capita.
In this context, adult digital content is not merely entertainment: it is a direct economic activity, a source of family income, and a driving force of an informal economy that grows outside traditional channels.
Confrontation with Sophie Rain: “Pay up or leave OnlyFans”
Fishback quickly escalated the conflict on social media.
On platform X, he sent a direct message to the model Sophie Rain (known as SophieRaiin on OnlyFans):
“Hello, @SophieRaiin. Pay up or leave OnlyFans. As the governor of Florida, I will not allow a generation of young, intelligent, and capable women to sell their bodies online.”
The creator responded with irony: “It sounds like you subscribed and then felt regret after spending your annual salary on a girl from OnlyFans.”
The controversy escalated further when Fishback hinted that the model owed the state 42 million dollars
"Sophie is upset with me because she is about to pay the state of Florida $42 million in taxes, which I will proudly use to raise teachers' salaries and improve school lunches."
And he concluded with another statement that reignited the debate on political moralism: “I refuse to allow young, intelligent, and capable women like @SophieRaiin to be exploited by OnlyFans and its greedy owners.”
The tax as a moral punishment and political weapon
According to some experts in the field, Fishback's proposal lacks technical and fiscal foundation, instead responding to a populist strategy aimed at gaining prominence within the more conservative segments of the electorate.
Johnny Madden, a modeling agent in Miami, expressed his rejection clearly:
"It's like if I were a vegan and decided to tax McDonald's for their meat. It's madness. You can't target a group fiscally just because you don't like what they do."
Madden adds that most of the creators are not millionaires, but freelancers who can barely cover the cost of living in a city like Miami.
An average model -she explained- earns between $80,000 and $90,000 a year before taxes, making her activity unsustainable if the government takes 50%.
Collection or Exodus?
Beyond the moral controversy, economists and tax advisors warn of an immediate consequence: the flight of taxpayers.
Since it is a 100% digital activity, creators could simply move their tax residence to a more favorable state.
"Such an aggressive tax could end up generating zero revenue," warns Madden.
"Creators don't have to remain in Florida. They will do what companies do: leave," he added.
This possible economic exodus would diminish the practical effectiveness of the measure, turning it into a symbolic banner rather than a realistic policy.
For some analysts, this is yet another chapter in the cultural war of the American right, with the female body as a contested territory.
Conclusion: Viable proposal or punitive populism?
James Fishback's proposal for a "sin tax" has achieved its goal: to create buzz, divide opinions, and place it at the center of the political debate in Florida.
But while some celebrate their moral crusade, others warn that it is nothing more than punitive populism disguised as taxation.
The truth is that if approved, the State would become the majority partner in an industry it intends to condemn, charging more than what the OnlyFans platform itself retains.
And as often happens with these types of measures, those most affected would not be the major studios or investors, but the independent creators who use the platform as their only source of income.
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