On Tuesday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez defended a health worker who posted racy photos on OnlyFans to make both ends meet. “Sex work is work,” the young Democrat blasted.

AOC responded to an article published by the New York Post, detailing how 23-year-old Lauren Caitlyn Kwei, who works as an EMT, posts her “racy”’ photos on her OnlyFans page as a way to make an extra income. The liberal Democrat used Kwei’s story to demonstrate how women are constantly shamed for doing sex work and how Congress failed to pass immediate relief programs, especially among health care workers.

In a social media post, AOC blasted, “Sex work is work. The federal gov has done almost nothing to help people in months.” The lawmaker also demanded that Congress pass stimulus checks and offer other governmental aid, including small business relief and hospital funding. She concluded that instead of shaming people, Americans must look at the bigger issue of how marginalized people continued to suffer during the midst of a global pandemic.

The article garnered a lot of attention after Rolling Stone criticized the Post’s narrative by accusing the media outlet of “shaming her.” The Post wrote that, like most Americans, Kwei found herself struggling with cash during the pandemic. To survive from her low-paying EMT job, the media outlet wrote that she would often sell her racy photos online. Initially, Kwei worked for SeniorCareEMS, an ambulance company that responds to hospitals’ 911 calls.

To make up for her low income, Kwei shared that she would often post seductive photos online for a monthly subscription of as low as $11.99. The 23-year-old began posting her photos last year and contains at least 32 posts, some of which showed her posing topless while holding a sex toy. In her bio, the EMT wrote, “Pay up or mind your own business!”

Kwei initially moved to New York City in hopes of pursuing a career in the performing arts. She then graduated from a private conservatory, The American Musical and Dramatic Academy, which boasts successful alums such as artists Jesse Tyler Fergurson and even Jason Derulo.

In her defense, Kwei stated, “At the end of the day, it doesn’t affect how I treat people. What I do in my free time is my business.” She continued by saying that her gig does not affect how she treats her patients or her job performance. Kwei also noted that health care professionals in the country continued to struggle with cash, “Health care workers aren’t making a lot of money. And I’m not the only one trying to make ends meet.”

While negotiations for the new stimulus bill continued, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed that they would continue to hold conversations until they were able to pass one.

Several key Democratic figures have lobbied for a more progressive agenda, especially those agendas that highlight women’s rights to make their own body choices. In fact, Democratic challenger for Georgia’s run-off elections, Rev. Raphael Warnock, claimed that abortion is “ consistent” with his beliefs as a Christian minister since it is about empowering women to make their own choices.