Tammy Thompson knows what it's like to love a job and still not be able to make it work.
As a registered veterinary technician, she cared deeply about animals and the people who brought them in. But long hours, low pay, a high-risk pregnancy and a childcare crisis during the pandemic forced the self-described nurturer to reconsider whether the career she loved could support her family.
"My life completely flipped upside down, and it forced me to really take a good, honest look at what I'm doing and where I'm going," Thompson said.
She eventually left veterinary medicine and leaned further into the adult-content career she had started with her husband in 2013.
Thompson — known as Erika Swingz in online spaces — is one of the St. Louis-area women featured on TLC's "Double Lives of Suburban Wives." The show follows six couples whose seemingly conventional suburban lives intersect with careers creating adult, or "spicy," content.
Former Washington University professor Heather Berg, who now teaches labor studies and gender studies at UCLA, argues that the choices people make about sex work cannot be separated from the economic pressures that shape their other employment options.
"As far as I'm concerned, the most interesting part of the story of sex work isn't about sex work at all," Berg said. "It's about what it feels like to try to make ends meet as a working mom on a vet tech salary, doing retail, or working as a nanny."
Thompson said adult content offers more flexibility and greater autonomy than her previous job.
"It's really been life-changing for me," she said.
The economics matter, too. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an average annual wage of $42,600 for veterinary technologists and technicians in Missouri in May 2025.
Thompson's experience isn't unique. Missouri sex worker coalition MO Ho Justice's report, "The State of the Hustle," found that economic survival and housing instability are core factors that drive people into the sex trade when "typical" jobs fail to cover basic needs.
Take-home pay varies
In addition to giving workers more control over their hours and what work they pursue, Berg said services like OnlyFans provide distance from some of the worst parts of conventional workplaces.
"People are sexualized in their nannying work [and] in their waitressing work, all of the time. They are exploited in the classic sense in that, you know, someone's making more money off your labor than they're paying you," Berg said. "All of those jobs include everyday tedium, emotional labor and, often, daily humiliations."
Thompson is an avowed workaholic. She said her work makes and keeps her happy.
She said she messages clients, creates digital content and makes custom videos or photos on any given day. The specific work she takes on depends on her boundaries and what she's comfortable doing.
"I do it in my way, but somebody else might do something else, and that's totally fine," she said.
Others are taking on subscription-based services, too; nearly half of workers in MO Ho Justice's report actively used OnlyFans or another membership platform site.
Creators earn $131 per month after OnlyFans platform fees, on average. The top 1% of OnlyFans creators earn about $49,000 annually. Brianna Coppage, one of Thompson's fellow cast members, told ABC in 2024 she made $2 million on OnlyFans.
Berg hopes TLC's new show helps viewers better understand the economic choices everyday people make in a constrained labor market.
Fighting stigma
Thompson said the words of those who discouraged her from pursuing adult content creation were just "chatter."
"People, of course, want to look out for what they think is best for me, but they're not living my life. They're not in my shoes and paying my bills," she said.
Thompson remains resolute that sex work was the right choice for her.
She said she's grateful for a community that understands the struggle of financial freedom, trying to be a good parent and providing for her family.
The Missouri resident acknowledges the judgment that comes with her career choice. She's focused on correcting misconceptions and highlighting the realities of her life.
"At the end of the day, we are neighbors, we're wives, we're friends," Thompson said. "We are just normal people."
To hear the full conversation with Tammy Thompson and Heather Berg, including Thompson's adult content journey, the TLC show and the broader implications of sex work, listen to "St. Louis on the Air" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or click the play button below.
"St. Louis on the Air" brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Layla Halilbasic is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
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