Patreon's New Restrictions (Patreon)

I do believe, in my opinion, that Patreon wants to get rid of adult artists. 

After witnessing the backlash to Onlyfans for its attempt to throw adult creators under the bus, I believe that Patreon is doing everything within its power to weed out and put pressure on Adult Illustrators. 

Art is inherently unpredictable, as it is wholly with each individual viewer to determine, add context, and evaluate the illustrations they are engaging with. People may find traits and story-lines within my art entirely outside of my control, based on their unique individual experiences and how they engage with the work I am presenting.

By attacking 'dark themes', sexual roleplay, drug use, etc, at least half of my gallery is now under threat of being viewed as coercive depictions of sex. Whether or not I make it clear in my art that individuals are coming together of their own volition to partake in mind-altering, sensation-altering substances and magics, under these rules, those illustrations are deemed inherently immoral and coercive.

Queer people first and foremost are at heightened risk of surveillance and false reporting under these circumstances, the first groups of people to fall victim to moralized outrage put into rules that enable punishment are the individuals who are most at risk of taking financial loss and overall are living with instability.

Patreon is working within the confines of the public eye to try and force out adult art as it becomes more centralized and more corporatized. So long as they work with shareholders that view sex as a 'risky investment', who follow archaic rules to enforce heteronormative sexual expectations, no artist will be safe.

It is unfortunately a privatized business that has been built on the backs of small creators who came in droves in hopes of safety. No matter what, adult themes of more duplicitous nature will exist and have a right to exist.

This cannot end well, and will likely result in unfair bans and an increasingly level of investigation, surveillance, and scrutiny of the most vulnerable of creators among us.