Photo: Instagram, LinkedIn
"It wasn’t to inspire. It wasn’t to be radical. It wasn’t to make you upset. It was to make space for myself."
By Maddie Haley — Written on May 02, 2023
When Arielle Egozi decided to list her past work experience on LinkedIn, she couldn't have anticipated the mixture of praise and backlash she received.
The 31-year-old, who uses she/they pronouns, has 31 different experiences listed on their LinkedIn profile but it is one in particular that has been the most divisive.
Arielle Egozi went viral after listing 'sex work' in her LinkedIn profile.
In 2020, while working as a brand advisor and creative director, the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a devastating blow that caused Egozi's creative industry to lose many of its clients. Facing financial uncertainty, they began pursuing sex work.
Egozi gained attention on LinkedIn after sharing that she added sex work to her work experience— a profession she claims taught her valuable skills such as setting boundaries, handling rejection, and realizing her worth.
Egozi's LinkedIn post was met with many protesting comments such as ‘This is not what LinkedIn is intended for.’
Egozi's post fueled a debate on whether sex work was appropriate to include on LinkedIn— or appropriate to be a part of in general. Some claimed it set back women’s progress. Another claimed it was a “very dangerous game,” asking, “Is it worth looking in the mirror and crying in the shower when you still feel unfulfilled trying to fill a void?”
Many backlashers argued that LinkedIn was not the place to post about sex work experience. One wrote “This my friends, has crossed the line. This is not what LinkedIn is intended for. It is way too much information and belongs on a different site.”
Others stood up for Arielle by recognizing that LinkedIn was made for all professions.
Despite the negative comments Egozi received on her post, others came to her defense.
To address the contradictory hate comments, one user wrote “Some say that this type of content is offensive, hurts somebody’s sensitivity, or it’s unprofessional: Do you know what is all of these three things? Your negative comments and your lack of empathy and understanding. Great work Arielle, very proud of you!”
Another pointed out that LinkedIn was created to be a space for finding community. “Arielle wants to build a community of ‘respectful’ clients who ‘celebrate and accept all experiences’ hence sharing this part of her career,” the user writes.
“So before I see another comment saying ‘LinkedIn wasn’t the place for this’ ask yourself: Is LinkedIn not the place to build a community by sharing your personal experiences within your career journey?”
After her post went viral, Egozi followed up with a statement in which she thanked supporters and explained her intention behind the post.
Arielle followed up their initial post with a statement, writing “My intention here was to bring all my pieces into the room. It was to hold myself accountable in celebration of the choices I’ve made, the decisions that make me who I am and make my work what it is.”
They go on, “It wasn’t to inspire. It wasn’t to be radical. It wasn’t to make you upset. It was to make space for myself.”
Incorporating sex work into her experience on LinkedIn “helps filter out partnerships” according to Egozi. They say “I’m only interested in working with folks that celebrate and value the vast intersections of my perspectives and experiences.”
If a company doesn’t want to hire Egozi because of an experience that shaped her identity, they simply aren’t a good fit for her.
Maddie Haley is a writer for YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers pop culture and celebrity news.