Sex work is work. It is a deceptively simple statement, yet it remains surprisingly complicated when the person saying it has actually worked in the industry.
Former OnlyFans creator and theatre actor Andrew Bonomolo is now asking why that contradiction continues to exist, after alleging that he was terminated from a theatre contract because of his past involvement in sex work, including OnlyFans and studio pornography.
His allegations have sparked a larger conversation about stigma, double standards, and whether someone’s previous way of making a living should determine whether they deserve a place onstage.
“Sex Work Is Work”
Bonomolo shared two videos addressing what he describes as discrimination within the theatre community, asking friends, followers, and fellow theatre professionals to “uplift sex workers and stop this unjust behavior.”
In an Instagram video, Bonomolo says he was terminated from his contract with Cape Fear Regional Theatre because of his “past involvement in sex work, Only Fans, and studio porn.” He describes the decision as “extremely unjust, unfair, and should be illegal,” while acknowledging that he believes people should not be fired simply because they have previously worked in the sex industry.
His argument is not necessarily that everyone has to approve of sex work.
It is that people should not automatically be treated as less professional because they have done it.
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The Theatre Double Standard
This is where Bonomolo’s criticism gets particularly interesting.
He points out that theatre routinely asks performers to portray strippers, sexually liberated women, and hypersexualized characters. Those performances can be praised as brave, provocative, empowering, or artistically important.
But what happens when an actor has actually worked in adult entertainment?
Suddenly, Bonomolo argues, the conversation changes.
“We award people who play strippers, sex workers, and hypersexualized icons…for the bravery it takes to bring these characters to stage,” he says. “But the second they find out that actors actually have a history in adult entertainment or sex work, suddenly you’re a liability. Suddenly you’re unprofessional.”
That contradiction is difficult to ignore.
Why is stripping acceptable when it is performed for charity, applause, or entertainment, but potentially shameful when someone has used their body as a source of income?
As Bonomolo puts it, “The truth is we love the art of sex work when we can consume it safely. But we punish actual human beings that survive in that industry.”
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A Conversation Worth Having
Bonomolo also alleges that the theatre company pressured him to remain silent about the situation. He says he intends to keep speaking about it regardless.
The response to his videos has largely been supportive, with commenters applauding him for challenging the stigma and pointing out the irony of theatre communities celebrating fictional depictions of sexual freedom while potentially judging people who have lived those experiences.
One commenter even referenced Bright Star, noting the irony of a production about a woman being judged for her choices and sexual history while real people can still face similar judgment.
That may be the uncomfortable question sitting underneath Bonomolo’s experience.
Can theatre genuinely explore stories about marginalization, bodily autonomy, and social judgment while maintaining its own boundaries about who gets to participate?
There are legitimate conversations to have about workplace policies, professional boundaries, and how employers evaluate someone’s public history. But there is also a difference between assessing someone’s conduct and deciding that their previous occupation makes them inherently unprofessional.
Bonomolo’s allegations deserve to be considered as allegations, but the conversation he has started is bigger than one contract.
If sex work is work, should a person’s history in that industry really be treated as something they have to apologize for forever?
That is a question theatre, and perhaps the entertainment industry more broadly, may need to answer.