Comments Made on 'The Bachelor' Spark a Serious Conversation About Sex Work Shaming

In the trailer for Season 25 of The Bachelor, we discovered that one of Matt’s potential partners may be an escort when Anna Redman is overheard accusing another woman of having a “transactional relationship with wealthy men.” On Jan. 25, viewers were introduced to five new women –– one of which is Brittany Galvin, a 23-year-old model from Chicago who says she doesn’t have time for “unnecessary drama."

Sadly, the new Bachelor contestant was met with exactly that upon her arrival. Brittany, who was accused of being a “sugar baby” by her co-stars, has since sparked a conversation online about sex work shaming and viewers want to know: What’s the truth behind the controversy? 

While viewers have concluded that Kaili Anderson and Anna’s comments were likely based on a rumor, they have sparked a serious conversation about sex work shaming. One user wrote on Twitter, “Really not looking forward to watching the next episode of The Bachelor which previews suggest features a 20 woman pile-on to stigmatizing sex work on network television.”

Although Anna and Kaili’s claims haven’t been validated, the internet has confirmed that they really don’t care whether Brittany is an escort or not. Brittany’s bio on ABC reads, “Brittany is a sexy and sassy woman who is ready to take a different approach to her dating life. Single for the first time in a long time, this serial monogamist is ready to break out of her Chicago bubble and experience love with a new type of man.”

It continued, “She describes herself as a social butterfly that, in a pre-COVID world, loves to go out and have a good time. She dreams of moving to New York City, finding love that broadens her horizons, and traveling the world with the man of her dreams.”

Although Brittany is looking for a “fun, mature” and “trusting” man to spend the rest of her life with, Jan. 25's show revealed that all of the ladies have more competition than they previously expected. 

In a previous interview with ET, show host Chris Harrison revealed that more of Matt’s potential partners will join the show as the season progresses. He explained, “A record number of women applied for Matt James … [it was] the biggest response we’ve had, and we wanted to give as many women as possible the chance to find love. So, we start with 32, but there will be more than those that arrive.”

Along with Brittany, there were five other women were introduced to the show on Jan. 25. Aside from the escort controversy, viewers met former Miss Puerto Rico Catalina, an ICU nurse named Kim, a teacher named Michelle, and a choreographer –– Ryan. 

You can tune into The Bachelor on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.