The University of Sheffield’s Feminist Society has condemned Bonnie Blue’s “Bang Bus” tour, which has seen her visit major UK cities during Freshers’ Week.
The infamous OnlyFans star arrived in Sheffield on Thursday 18th September, the fifth stop on her tour targeting “barely legal” students.
During the event, a woman in the queue allegedly assaulted Bonnie, as videos on social media circulated of several women accusing the content creator of “setting feminism back”.
Sheffield’s Feminist Society spoke to The Sheffield Tab about Bonnie’s arrival, whose real name is Tia Billinger. The OnlyFans star rose to infamy following a series of extreme stunts, including sleeping with 1,057 men in 24 hours.
The society believes her arrival creates an unsafe environment for students, and the tour has already seen condemnation from public figures, including Labour MP Joani Reid, who said: “It puts women at risk while feeding men a diet of porn and abuse.”
Scarlett Vickers, secretary of the feminist society and a Sheffield student, claimed: “Some students will see it [the “barely legal” tour] as a joke or bragging rights, but for many women and feminists it will feel deeply uncomfortable.”
Scarlett pointed to what she calls the “huge” social pressure on young men to be sexually experienced, alleging this hits freshers particularly hard. Those just starting university may, the secretary believes, even feel coerced into attending.
The student argues Bonnie’s stunts perpetuate a misogynistic culture, and this extends beyond a single person attending campus. “It’s about what kind of environment students are living and learning in,” Scarlett added.
@dailyclips.0077 Bonnie Blue in Sheffield
In the past, Bonnie has collaborated with controversial influencer Andrew Tate, who gained notoriety for posting extreme views about women. He is currently facing rape and trafficking charges.
Collaborations with Andrew, Scarlett says, are evidence of how Bonnie’s stunts reinforce patriarchal ideas about women’s bodies. “Sex is an obligation, and […] women who don’t comply are ‘lazy’”, the social sec claimed.
Scarlett believes the sex positive language Bonnie employs serves as a facade for what is actually misogyny, alleging the content creator’s stunts undermine historic battles for gender equality.
She continued: “It does feel like we’re moving backwards in terms of gender equality, the popularity of figures like Blue and Tate shows how mainstream misogyny has become, and how quickly progress can be rolled back.”
Referring to the incident where Bonnie was allegedly punched at the Sheffield event, Scarlett said violence is never the answer.
The social sec claimed that while the adult content creator spreads harmful narratives, she’s part of a larger wave of far-right politics and misogyny. The focus, the student believes, should be on dismantling societal issues that create demand for figures like Bonnie and Andrew.
“Criticism needs to target the misogynistic culture she reinforces, not take the form of physical attacks,” Scarlett added.
The “Bang Bus” is continuing its tour of the UK. Having spent the past two nights in Cambridge, it’s set to visit its final stop in London over the weekend. The events have so far also been held at Glasgow, Newcastle, Lincoln, Leeds, Nottingham, and Oxford.
Bonnie Blue and Andrew Tate have not yet responded to a request for comment.
Featured image via Canva, @bonnieblue on Tiktok, and @sheffunifemsoc on Instagram
