It’s amazing how this industry affects so many people in opposing ways. I agree with a lot of the issues presented here and much respect to the author for her brutal honesty. However, I’m glad that I have been able to pull some positives out of my experiences, while learning from the negative. This entry actually reminds me of a moment in Atlanta where a fellow dancer was verbally brutalized by a customer. While she cried in a corner, I took it to the manager, giving him a prime opportunity to show his manhood and earn some respect from his staff. That didn’t happen. When I explained that if he wasn’t going to do anything about it, then I was, he responded, “why are you going to lose your job over another girl’s problem. It’s not yours.” I was appalled…but only for a second. What could I expect from this skinny little man who only got about one shift a week and laid even less than that? So, I took things into my own hands. Subtly. I sat with the offender in question, leaned over and whispered into his ear that his balding ass would be lucky to have a woman like her and doesn’t he think he owes her an apology for being such a dick? He was afraid of me instantly. I smiled at him and walked away. The dancer came up to me a bit later to thank me. He apologized to her. Imagine if this happen all the time in strip clubs – men being called on their shit (he had made an ugly comment about her weight) and the girls being defended by their management. Imagine that.

4 thoughts on “It Takes a Village…”

  2. Wow. So much to say about this. I read the attack on strip clubs, and she makes one very good point. The economics of strip clubs very much encourages the exploitation of the women working in the business. Bouncers do not exist to protect the dancers: their job is to protect the club. To the extent that the club has an interest in protecting the dancers from something, they will do it. But when the interests diverge, the bouncers will (generally) serve the club.

    This is not, however, a product of the strip club business. It is the nature of business in general. To take a comparison, most big companies have a human resources department. The human resources people may pretend to be interested in protecting the employees, but when push comes to shove, they will abandon the employee and back the sexually harassing or abusive manager. Not an exact analogy, but pretty similar.

    Your story illustrates the only true answer: the employees, be they strippers, factory workers or paper pushers, must stick up for one another. Employees will be treated with respect only if they band together and demand it.

    The current problems faced by the Unconscionable result, not from the existence of strip clubs, but from the fact that strippers are looked down upon. If she had been recognized for what she was: a hard working woman trying to take care of her children, she would not have confronted the prejudice that prevents her from holding a “respectable” job.

    Okay, now I want to read something titilating…..

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    1. I agree with you. The sooner exotic dancers are seen as a viable art form and respected as an industry professional (proper wages, actual employee status, benefits, etc.), the sooner that ‘loyalty to the Man’ attitude will begin to dissipate. Dancers have no real power right now. At the same token, it’s given willing in exchange for an expendable job with no true commitment. They can come and go as they please most of the time, work practically anywhere and have no tax obligations unless they’re working with a club that actually turns in their 1099’s. It will require some give and take on both sides in order for the necessary attitude adjustments. Plus, let’s not forget the responsibility of dancers to not feed into the stereotypes as well.

      Thanks for the read and comment. Much appreciated!

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