’90 Day Fiance’ Star Stephanie Matto Slams Criticism About Her Sexuality: ‘I Love Differently’

She knows who she is, and Stephanie Matto isn’t about to let anyone question her sexuality. On Wednesday, April 1, the 90 Day Fiancé star took to social media to slam criticism targeting the way her sex work intersects with her demisexuality. Insisting there’s “nothing wrong” with the way she experiences relationships and leads her love life, she set the record straight.

“Just because I sell naked photos [and] just because I was an exotic dancer when I was in my early 20s, does NOT mean I jump into the sack with someone right away,” Stephanie, 29, shared in a long rant posted across several Instagram Stories. “I have a very low partner count, and I am not embarrassed. The way I make money does not equate to how I am romantically and in my personal life. Stop telling women that, based on how they dress or the work they do, that they are then as a result expected to be DTF whenever. I prefer waiting, I am demisexual, and there is nothing wrong with taking your time.”

The Before the 90 Days star continued, “Like I said, my body has changed a lot in the past [two to three] years. Certain parts of my body don’t work the way they used to before I was put on some of my medication. I carry a lot of trauma from my days as a dancer, and I’ve honestly had horrible experiences with men and sex. I understand that selling my nudes online may seem to negate all of that in people’s minds, but, to me, what I do is a business and not who I am.”

Responding to those who’ve weighed in on her relationship with Erika Owens, she wrote, “Next time you see me and think that I am some prude, heartless, affectionless monster — know that I do love, but I love differently. I show my feelings in other ways, and I am the most loyal and generous person when in love.”

Just a few days earlier, the TLC star gave fans an inside look at her aplastic anemia diagnosis and her life with the autoimmune disease. She explained how her doctor put her on a “sexual suppression medication” in order to stop her menstruation cycle and prevent blood loss during her period. One of the unfortunate “lasting side effects,” however, was a lower sex drive. Stephanie wanted fans to know that her “lack of sexual openness” upon first meeting Erika in person had nothing to do with “apprehension of her bisexuality,” but was simply reflective of her health and past experiences. “People have different love languages, and that is OK,” she said. “No one is wrong, and nobody’s feelings are invalid.”