Republicans have dusted off their moral panic playbook again — and this time, they’re not just after drag queens or trans athletes. Nope, they’re coming for your browser history. A newly proposed bill by Utah Senator Mike Lee and Illinois Rep. Mary Miller seeks to ban all pornography in the United States, redefining what qualifies as “obscene” content and setting up a legal minefield for everyone from adult film stars to OnlyFans creators — many of whom are LGBTQ+.
Lee’s bill would retool the 1934 Communications Act with a new, ultra-puritanical definition of “obscenity.” Under the proposed law, any depiction of sexual activity — real or simulated — that aims to “arouse, titillate, or gratify” could be criminalized. It doesn’t even have to be intentional: under the bill, even sharing content without any malicious intent could carry penalties. Essentially, you wouldn’t need to be a pornographer to be treated like one.
This isn’t Lee’s first attempt at legislating away pleasure. His previous tries in 2022 and 2024 flopped — but with the current political climate increasingly hostile to sexual expression, analysts warn this bill could have real legs. It’s no coincidence that this comes as Project 2025, the far-right Heritage Foundation’s playbook for Donald Trump’s possible return to office, explicitly includes a national porn ban. Coincidence? Please.
Unsurprisingly, the sex work community is fired up. “They are coming for us right now,” warned Alana Evans, president of the Adult Performance Artists Guild and a longtime performer. LGBTQ+ content creators — many of whom rely on platforms like OnlyFans as safe, independent sources of income — could be among the hardest hit. And let’s be real: queer creators often face censorship on mainstream platforms already. A federal ban would all but erase them from digital spaces.
The law’s deliberately vague language leaves it wide open to abuse. Want to post a sensual pole-dancing video? Better not. Publishing queer erotic fiction? Could be a federal crime. Modeling in lingerie? Someone might find it “gratifying,” and that could be enough. This isn’t just about hardcore porn — this is about controlling bodies, especially queer ones.
The LGBTQ+ community has long used adult content spaces for self-expression, identity exploration, and income. For many trans and non-binary individuals, especially, sex work has been a lifeline amid rampant employment discrimination. A ban like this would disproportionately harm marginalized people — stripping them of autonomy, safety, and visibility in one sweeping legal stroke.
And while some may argue this is about “protecting children,” let’s not pretend that’s the whole story. This is about power — and who gets to express their sexuality freely. As always, queer people are the first in line for censorship when conservative lawmakers decide to moralize.
This bill may still be a long shot — but it’s a flashing red light for what the right-wing agenda looks like. And if it becomes law, LGBTQ+ creators, sex workers, and anyone who’s ever explored intimacy through digital means will pay the price.