This article references sexual violence.

Everything I know about ‘Bonnie Blue’, I have learned against my will. For the last year, I’ve somewhat heroically ignored everything written about the adult performer known for her extreme stunts, rage-bait content, and ability to turn up on my social media feed no matter how many times I click ‘Not interested’.

Then last week, along with the rest of the journalists in this country, I received an email from Channel 4, inviting me to an exclusive screening of 1000 Men and Me: The Bonnie Blue Story, a documentary that “follows Bonnie and her team behind the scenes for six months, beginning with her infamous 1057-gangbang.” It will ask whether Blue is a “dangerous predator” or simply an “empowered, sex-positive businesswoman having the last laugh.”

Channel 4, it seems, has already made up its mind. In the email cover letter to the invite, journalists are invited to “Join us as we roll out the blue carpet and keep cool with the aircon on”, with the strange caveat that “(we’re not using only fans at C4).” Haha, I thought. It’s funny because Blue was allegedly kicked off OnlyFans, wasn’t she? Something about a “petting zoo” and being “Tied up, gagged, bent over, begging […] in a box and ready to be used.” Oh, how droll. The event, according to Blue, was ultimately cancelled at the request of OnlyFans (via US Weekly).

While Channel 4 clearly think they’ve hit the jackpot, I think they’ve missed the real story. It’s not about Bonnie Blue; it’s about bad sex – and why we’re all still putting up with it.

If you’ve ever watched free online porn, you’ll know that much of it employs the language and aesthetics of sexual violence. A cursory glance at one of the most popular mainstream porn sites offers the following for your titillation: “Stepdaughter and Stepdad Explore Their Sexuality Together”, “My Pussy Was Soaking Wet But He Only Wanted To Fuck My Ass Hard”, and “Watch Blonde Get Her Tight Ass Bubble Butt Drilled.”

Indeed, a 2021 analysis of the language used by mainstream porn sites determined that one in eight titles advertised to first-time users in the UK described sexually violent or non-consensual activity, including sexual activity between family members, physical aggression, image-based abuse, exploitation and coercion.

Blue’s content uses much of the same language as mainstream porn. Her Instagram and TikTok accounts are mostly likeable run-of-the-mill influencer content – except when we’re invited to spend the day with Blue while she gets “railed” (TikTok). She gives beauty tips for what to do when “your face is so dried from cum” (TikTok), and promoting an OnlyFans post, she directs a group of men wearing blue balaclavas to take Julia Filipo, a 22-year-old adult performer with pigtails, to be “stretched”, which is then advertised with the caption, “Turning a barely legal girl into a woman” (Instagram).

TikTok’s community guidelines state that it does “Not allow sexual activity or services”, and that “Content is restricted (18 years and older) and ineligible for the [For You Feed] if it shows intimate kissing, sexualised framing, or sexualised behaviour by adults.” According to Meta’s Community Standards Enforcement Report, the “display of adult nudity and sexual activity” is restricted on Instagram. A separate policy outlines that any content that “depicts, threatens or promotes sexual violence, sexual assault or sexual exploitation” will be removed. While Blue’s social media content is clearly sexualised, it’s unclear whether it breaks any of the platform’s guidelines and, if it does, how fast platforms can act to remove it. When Glamour contacted TikTok about these and other posts, it removed a number of them.  Meta, who own Instagram, has not responded.