The arrival of the Bonnie Blue Bang Bus at Newcastle Freshers: has the ‘barely legal’ branding gone too far?

Freshers: an intense week filled with fun, chaos, drinking and for Newcastle university, Bonnie Blue. On the 14th of September, students received a special visit from your not-so average celebrity arriving on her “bang bus”, a truly poetic use of alliteration might I add, handing out T-shirts, posing for selfies and clubbing with students.  

What separates Bonnie from your usual sex worker, her personal niche, if you would, is her “barely legal” motto. Originating in 2024, “barely legal” refers to Bonnie's attempts to target “freshers” in Derby and Nottingham, where she would post her location, and with given consent, have sex, film and post with first year university students or “freshers”. This motto, centred in predatory messaging, sparked mass media horror, outcry, but most alarmingly, praise and attention.

Whilst on a popular podcast “saving grace”, both Grace (GK Barry) and Blue discussed her pornography, which targets 18 and 19 year olds (‘barely legals’), sparking mass online controversy for the normalisation of sex work for young women, and the audience being new young adults, eventually forcing Grace to take down the video after criticism of ruining feminism's ‘march in progress.’  

It could be argued that although Bonnie’s 9-citied traumatic-tour had left a few feeling scarred, another issue presents itself. Are we focusing on the wrong person, should we be criticising Bonnie for attracting young men, or should we be criticising the “crowds” of legal adults who lined up to see her? Hundreds gathered at the sight of Blue, claiming merch and selfies with the “star”.

In addition, Bonnie constantly defends herself when receiving backlash with the keyword “legal”, suggesting that the legal age of consent is the only age that should be taken into account, these are adults who are aware of their digital footprint, the law and facing the consequences of their own actions.

Therefore, Bonnie believes she should not be held accountable for their actions. However, this can yet again be criticised when added back into the context that Bonnie's “tour” has specifically aimed to target 18 year olds at freshers, and who, in the given context, may be under the influence of alcohol, peer pressure and general freshers excitement, therefore Bonnie's timing can be suggested to have malicious intent. 

Overall, Bonnie's Bang Bus tour yet again raises the debate to whether Bonnie's actions reflect empowerment and liberation of all women, or a purely selfish motive, rage bait and consequently “setting women back” through the targeting of young and vulnerable men.