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A University of Washington professor invited social media personality and OnlyFans star Ari Kytsya to speak to her students last week, a decision that was defended by both the professor and the university in statements to Fox News Digital.
Dr. Nicole McNichols teaches PSYCH 210 “The Diversity of Human Sexuality” at the university, and noted the adult content personality “understandably sparks mixed reactions” in her Instagram post touting the visit on Nov. 17.
“Our manifestation worked,” McNichols posted to Instagram. “Yesterday, my class had the chance to hear from THE Ari Kytsya, someone who understandably sparks mixed reactions, but whose voice and lived experience are essential in any honest conversation about sexuality, labor, and the realities of today’s digital landscape.”
A University of Washington professor invited OnlyFans creator Ari Kytsya to speak to her human sexuality class. (Wilbert Roberts/Getty Images for Main Character / Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)
“Much of commercial [porn] still portrays women in unrealistic, scripted, and at times even non-consensual scenarios, McNichols added. “[OnlyFans], by contrast, often features real people with real bodies creating content on their own terms.”
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OnlyFans is a subscription-based platform that many amateur porn stars and adult content creators use to cultivate an audience and share X-rated content directly to subscribers, referred to as “fans,” on the platform.
Kytsya, whose real name is Ariel Danyluk, also runs an Instagram profile that boasts 1.2 million followers, a TikTok account with 4.9 million followers, and an OnlyFans with roughly 645,500 likes.
Ari Kytsya and her boyfriend, Yung Gravy. (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for City of Hope)
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“When I was asked by Dr. Nicole McNichols to speak at her upper-division psychology lecture… I was immediately intrigued,” Kytsya told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement. “Speaking about what the sex industry is like and the dangers it comes with is something I am very transparent about on my social media.”
“A lot of people are curious about what a creator’s life is like, how we got there, and what being an OnlyFans creator actually entails,” Kytsya added. “I took this unprecedented opportunity to speak candidly about my experiences, going through my professional career, my personal life, and the reality of the sex industry.”
The 24-year-old content creator reportedly began her career as an Instagram influencer in 2016 before pivoting to more adult content on OnlyFans. She is also widely known for her public relationship with rapper Yung Gravy.
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“I wasn’t there to teach anybody any facts,” Kytsya explained. “I stated at the beginning that these are only my opinions and experiences; it doesn’t mean that what I’m saying is right or wrong or that my experiences would be the same as anybody else in the industry.”
“I love what I do, and my hope was to simply share my experiences in the industry — the good, the bad and the ugly — so they can see a different perspective from a real person in the industry and get to hear more than just what is posted on social media,” she added.
The professor who invited the OnlyFans star thanked “manifestation” for the adult content creator accepting the invitation to speak. (Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Following backlash and controversy online, the university and the professor who invited the OnlyFans star defended the move in statements to Fox News Digital.
“Psychology 210 is a course on human sexuality,” university spokesperson Victor Balta told Fox News Digital. “The class includes discussion of ethical pornography and aims to eradicate shame and encourage open and frank conversations about sex. It is a 200-level and the students enrolled are adults.”
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“OnlyFans is a multibillion-dollar part of today’s sexual media landscape, and if we want open, honest and informed conversations about sexuality, we need to include voices from the spaces where people are actually engaging,” McNichols told Fox News Digital.
“Inviting a creator is not an endorsement of any particular path,” McNichols added. “It is an opportunity for students to think critically about the world around them, grounded in real human stories.”
Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news. Story tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and on X @MizellPreston