Horny Grandmas Are Having a Moment

Not long ago, the 72-year-old adult creator DD White received a message from one of her fans requesting a custom video. She often spends her afternoons in front of a computer fulfilling all sorts of solicitations from younger men. Some want to buy the lingerie she wears in her clips. Others ask for a recording of a 'stepson video' where she pretends to catch them peeking into her room or watching her shower. The fee varies depending on the description or length of the video, ranging anywhere from $30 to $200, and if a guy wants her to say his name, 'that is going to cost more because it’s not resalable,' she says from her home office in Orlando. 'They want me to come on to them, to say that I’ve noticed them staring at me. That type of thing.' But this request was a first for White. He 'wanted me to be his mommy and tell him how he came out of my body, as he’s fucking me. It was just really awkward,' she says. White, who has 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, declined the request but says that sort of thing comes with the job when you are a septuagenarian sex worker.

What Happened

Not long ago, the 72-year-old adult creator DD White received a message from one of her fans requesting a custom video. She often spends her afternoons in front of a computer fulfilling all sorts of solicitations from younger men. Some want to buy the lingerie she wears in her clips. Others ask for a recording of a 'stepson video' where she pretends to catch them peeking into her room or watching her shower. The fee varies depending on the description or length of the video, ranging anywhere from $30 to $200, and if a guy wants her to say his name, 'that is going to cost more because it’s not resalable,' she says from her home office in Orlando. 'They want me to come on to them, to say that I’ve noticed them staring at me. That type of thing.' But this request was a first for White. He 'wanted me to be his mommy and tell him how he came out of my body, as he’s fucking me. It was just really awkward,' she says. White, who has 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, declined the request but says that sort of thing comes with the job when you are a septuagenarian sex worker.

Outside the Instagram-polished demographic typically associated with creators on OnlyFans and Fansly, where youth is among your most marketable assets, there is a growing demand for a different kind of digital seductress: the GILF. Older creators have flooded adult platforms in recent years as demand for mature content has skyrocketed. On Pornhub, searches for 'GILF' increased 129 percent in 2025, and 'maturing MILF' was among the platform’s leading trends, according to figures the company shared with WIRED. In the US, the market for silver foxes was even more explicit: last year the top relative search term in Oregon was 'horny grandma' while Maine’s was 'granny sex.'

Community Reaction

The phenomenon of older women engaging in adult content creation has sparked a range of reactions. Some view it as a necessary economic lifeline, especially for those facing job disruptions or financial challenges. 'Some workers were pushed into the gig economy, with unemployment or forced retirement compelling them to seek out new financial lifelines,' says Brooke Duffy, who researches the intersection of social media and labor at Cornell University. Against this backdrop, she adds, 'OnlyFans offered not only a stopgap but also a potential pathway through which to wrest back control over the conditions of work' by broadening the pool of participants through a new funding model.

Financial Lifelines

For older women like Rita Daniels, 76, and Aunt Ann, a 69-year-old footwear model whose turnoffs include 'mean people, liars, [and] limp dicks,' the genre has provided a new avenue for earning a living. Two of Aunt Ann’s explicit videos showing penetration have over 600,000 views on Pornhub. Others creators, like 66-year-old Monika Weiss, are 'finally exploring every delicious desire I kept hidden for far too long,' as she writes in her OF bio. The genre has gotten so widespread across the industry that, in August, ASN—the adult entertainment company that hosts an annual awards ceremony—added a category for GILF of the Year.

What's Next

Despite its challenges, platform-dependent work has provided older adults new opportunities at a second or even third career. 'Older women aren’t the only creators benefiting from a resurgent interest in mature porn,' says Rick Kelson, who was let go from his contract position at NASA in 2021, where he worked as an engineer. Sex work became his main source of income, 'essentially a full-time job,' he tells WIRED. It was during this period that 'the market for more mature performers, daddy types, was really starting to take off,' and a friend who’d worked with various gay film studios, 'thought I had exactly the look that they wanted,' Kelson says.

Today, more than a quarter of adults over 50 rely on side hustles to survive, according to a 2023 AARP survey, with 44 percent of older workers saying they have experienced a 'job disruption' since 2018. Octogenarian actress Donna Mills joined OnlyFans this year. In October, the former soap star told ABC News that though she has yet to post x-rated content, she wasn’t completely ruling it out in the future. 'Provocative, maybe. I’ve always been a bit spicy.' Mills told ABC that she won’t honor fan requests for videos of her brushing her teeth but noted that she planned to fulfill one specific request: 'stomping grapes.'

White, who has 40,000 Instagram followers, says what’s happening right now has a lot to do with new attitudes around aging and who gets to monetize their image online. 'I realized that the generations are changing. They’re not stifling sex like they used to. That way of thinking is so different from when I was younger, and a lot of women have benefited from that.' Even so, Kelson believes the volatility of the job market will continue to push older adults to subscription platforms to supplement their income. 'More of them will see that they have that option,' he says. Mostly, he’s been ecstatic to see creators in his age bracket get into the business. 'I love it because it pushes back against the concept that as you get older, you have to lose pieces of your life that you enjoy,' he says. 'We are not freaks just because we have a high libido at the age of 65 or 70 or whatever.'

For residents of NYC and the broader community, it is important to recognize the economic realities that drive individuals to explore alternative career paths, including those in the adult entertainment industry. While these stories may be uncomfortable, they reflect a broader societal shift where older adults are finding new ways to contribute and earn a living. It is crucial for families and communities to support each other and foster environments where everyone can thrive, regardless of age or the choices they make.

For those interested in learning more about the industry, resources are available online. The National Adult Entertainment Association (NAEA) provides information and support for performers and their families. Additionally, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) offers guidance and resources for older adults navigating various career paths.

As we move forward, it is essential to continue having open and respectful conversations about these topics. By understanding the motivations and challenges faced by individuals in this industry, we can work towards a more inclusive and supportive society for all.