Who is Katie Thurston, the "Bachelorette" of 2021?

Who is Katie Thurston, the "Bachelorette" of 2021?

Of all the madness in the world, perhaps the one thing we can always count on is ABC's ability to keep producing regular seasons of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. Indeed, despite the raging COVID-19 and the racism scandal that caused longtime host Chris Harrison to drop the show (opens in new tab), if rumors are to be believed, a new season of "The Bachelorette" will begin filming within a few weeks, A new season of "The Bachelorette" is expected to follow, with Katie Thurston in the lead role and Michelle Young (opens in new tab) in the lead role.

And while we may not know what precautions the show will take to avoid another major scandal, we are about halfway through the latest season of The Bachelorette and brought a vibrator to meet Matt James (opens in new tab) We know a lot about Katie Thurston (opens in new tab), who became instantly iconic for bringing a vibrator to meet Matt James (opens in new tab); according to Reality Steve, Thurston was selected to lead the next season in early February, was removed from consideration a few weeks later, and was re-selected (opens in new tab) in early March (open in new tab). Not at all confusing.

Barring any more last-minute changes, an official announcement confirming Thurston's quest for true love is likely any day now. While we await its arrival, let's keep up with lots of fun facts about her.

Thurston has a formal day job as a bank marketing manager in Renton, Washington, but has a more exciting side job as a hilarious, free-spirited social media star. Case in point: last summer, she shared a video (opens in new tab) on TikTok in which she discussed her isolated masturbation habit and tweeted about whether she would date a ghost (final answer: yes).

Between her candid online content and the fact that she stepped out of a limo on the first night of "The Bachelor" with a vibrator in hand, Thurston has been widely praised for her sex positivity. And it's not just a spectacle: "I didn't have any agenda in going on the show. It's just who I am and who I've always been," she said during an appearance on the "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast in January, per People (opens in new tab). "It wasn't until after the fact that I realized how big it was, which excites me because I believe it's 2021 and women should be comfortable talking about their sexuality."

Sir believe they should be comfortable talking about their sexuality, so it wasn't until after the fact that I understood how big it was, which excites me.

Thurston turned 30 just a few days after the New Year, and the day before that major milestone, she reflected on what the last few years have brought her and what she hopes the next decade will be like.

"If I died tomorrow, I would not be satisfied with what I have accomplished. I followed the 'rules' of life. Build a career. Save money; start a 401K. Buy a house. And for what? Over the past year, I have finally learned to love who I am with dignity," she writes

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"What I know is that life is too short to feel unfulfilled. So what fills your heart. What makes you happy' I enjoyed making people laugh during what felt like a dark time for many this summer. 'I enjoyed learning from the diverse community and hearing their stories,' she continued. 'I passionately pursue a fulfilling life and refuse to let the next ten years pass without purpose.'

She hopes that purpose will include shaking things up with "The Bachelorette" and possibly finding the ambitious and mature partner she wrote about in her official "Bachelor" bio.

Thurston's followers on social media are well aware of her cat Tommy and her undying love for all things cat-related (opens in new tab).

He is so big, so fluffy, so "big fluffy," as it were, and so appropriate for a wall-to-wall portrait (opens in new tab) and a moving Whitney Houston serenade.

The two may not have hooked up, but James still admires Thurston. Days after eliminating her, with rumors already swirling that she would be the next Bachelorette, on an episode of "Watch What Happens Live," James raved about how "incredible" Thurston is. 'She's the type of woman who should be a contender for the Bachelorette,' he said. She's bold, she's courageous, she stands up for what she believes in."

A few things. First, according to Reality Steve, her season will shoot in late March; second, she is not dating Tyler Cameron. Thurston said in an Instagram Q&A, "Tyler has a girlfriend, so we all need to put this out of our minds." (Like Nick Viall and Hannah Martin, Cameron will not be intruding on her season.)

Third, we know it will be set, per Reality Steve: "In Hyatt Tamaya, a suburb of Albuquerque, New Mexico," RS wrote on Twitter. (Opens in new tab) And we know that the guys have already been selected and sequestered while they wait for Katie, as filming will begin soon. (Who knows who will make the final cut?) You can read about some of them here (opens in new tab).

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