Bella Cummins | Source | Owner at Bella's Hacienda Ranch
Bella Cummins
ABOUT MADAM BELLA CUMMINS
Madam Bella Cummins is the owner and operator of Bella’s Hacienda Ranch, a legal brothel located in Wells, Nevada. The premier adult entertainment destination in Northeast Nevada, Bella’s Hacienda provides a safe and lawful option for sex workers to prosperously practice their trade and serve customers from across the globe.
74-year-old Cummins is the longest-serving living female legal brothel owner in the United States. In 1987, she acquired the struggling Hacienda Ranch Brothel and transformed it into the famed "Bella's Hacienda." Leveraging her business acumen and financial expertise, Cummins successfully turned the establishment into one of the most prosperous adult entertainment destinations in the state.
Throughout her career, Cummins has faced and overcome significant challenges, including successfully navigating the AIDS panic of the 1980s and the COVID shutdowns of the 2020s. During the COVID pandemic, when the legal brothels were shuttered by Nevada’s governor, Cummins creatively obtained an escort license for her business, allowing sex workers to sustain their income by providing non-sexual companionship services.
In an era when sex workers were often disparaged and marginalized, Cummins pioneered a revolutionary approach within the industry. As the only legal brothel entirely run by sex workers, Bella’s Hacienda eliminated exploitative elements, creating a female-led workplace culture centered on trust and teamwork. This environment allowed sex workers to find camaraderie, support, and personal growth, challenging stereotypes and fostering a more positive image of women in the adult entertainment sector.
At the forefront of promoting the legalization of prostitution, Cummins founded the Onesta Foundation. Established in 2018 in response to efforts by religious groups to ban legal brothels in certain Nevada counties, the foundation offers a platform for women working in Nevada’s sex industry and facilitates professional development and support for the legal sex work community.
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Bella's Hacienda Ranch (https://bellas.us/)
Owner
started Oct 1987
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Sex Workers Have Been Shunned by Banks, Even When Their Work Is Legal
Financial service companies often avoid what they deem high-risk industries like adult entertainment. When workers lose their accounts, they are left with few options.
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Madam Bella Cummins' thoughts on technology's impact on our sex lives...
Madam Bella profiled by The Sun
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“Derogatory terms like ‘prostitute’ perpetuate social stigmas and stereotypes, leading to further discrimination and marginalization of sex workers,” Cummins said. “It’s important that Nevadans understand and appreciate the impact of the words we use to describe the workers in our communities. Derogatory terms can contribute to a hostile environment toward women, undermine their inherent dignity and hinder social progress. By avoiding derogatory terms and using respectful language when classifying female workers, we promote inclusivity, foster understanding, and contribute to a more compassionate and equitable society.”