To burlesque or not to burlesque…

[almostwitty]

Burlesque

Originally uploaded by Oh Lenna

So … I’ve been semi-invited to a Burlesque and Blues night this week - and a Burlesque birthday party in July.

Now, of course, I like seeing scantily-clad ladies disrobing as much as the next heterosexual male - the weekend’s soaring temperatures in London proved that as much as anything. But I still can’t decide if it’s the sort of thing I can go to myself and come out feeling, well, good about myself.

It is a world away from seedy stripclubs with strippers who only see you as walking wallets, but I can’t help wondering if I’d come out still feeling slightly seedy and unsure of myself, if only because I hate paying for things.

The Guardian suggests that it has itself become somewhat of an industry that is itself rife for exploitation. But all the railing by feminists against the porn industry hasn’t stopped today’s yoof exposing themselves to anyone and everyone for a bit of fun.

Expression or exploitation?

Originally published at almost witty. You can comment here or there.

Comments

[amanda.livejournal.com]

So wait. One girl writes an article stating she did it for all the 'wrong reasons', and suddenly every female who decides to become a stripper of sorts is being exploited?

Sorry, no.

I worked in a lapdancing club for a while. I wasn't a stripper/lapdancer - I was a barmaid. But I can tell you that all the lapdancers there were in it for one thing and one thing only. Money. They liked the money they earned - they earned much more than they ever would have working in an office doing a 9-5 job.

Hell, some of them were even married or in committed relationships. They had families. They provided for their families in a way that they wanted to. One of the girls I worked with was actually a fully qualified doctor - she chose to dance because she made more money than she ever did working as a doctor.

I'm not saying that there aren't girls out there who are absolutely not being exploited. I'm sure there are some - probably many. But I don't think the whole industry should be classed as exploitation when that's not the case.

[almostwitty]

The exploitation argument is the one that "feminists" have been making for ages... and probably just shows how it's a rather complex grey murky area.

Then again, I've never liked going to strip clubs - paradoxically, because it's so blatantly obvious that it's all about the money and I, as a walking customer, am just a walking wallet as far as they're concerned. And I'm a skinflint!

[amanda.livejournal.com]

I agree with you there, it's definitely all about the money - they see you as a walking wallet, not as an individual. There's just no way to argue against that. :)

[anivair.livejournal.com]

honestly, women run the sex industry from every level, be they strippers or porn stars. Yes, I'm sure that there's the occasional young girl who gets roped into the industry and is manipulated by "evil men" (tm) nut that's really way more of a fantasy than you'd think IME. Every woman I've ever known who worked that industry did so because she wanted to, was in charge of her own work, and worked at her own pleasure.

If anyone is exploited in the sex industry, it's men, but I can live with that. I get it. I know I'm paying money to see boobs. I know that I won't get to take the strippers home (at least, not as part of the business transaction) and yet I go and give them my money and look at their nudity and go home frustrated and happy. That's the point and if you're expecting anything else from a strip club or other type of sex show, then you're off base.

Prostitution is a grayer area, but only, I think, because it's usually illegal. Legal prostitution is usually a solid industry as well (it's amazing what a good disinfectant sunlight is).

[almostwitty]

Then again, there is the argument that women/strippers/porn starlets tell you they run the industry and are self-empowered women because, well, if the customers found out that they were exploited etc. then the men would stop paying up.

On the other hand, knowing that your cheap clothes came from over-exploited workers in the third world hasn't stopped people buying clothes from The Gap.

[anivair.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I don't buy the first argument. I somehow doubt that the entire industry has such total control over these women that they can make them say what they want. I use Asia Carerra as an example. She's not in porn anymore and has a genius IQ. Nobody can make her say anything and she still holds that women run the business, so I'm inclined to believe her. She has no reason to lie.

[amanda.livejournal.com]

Oh, I totally agree. Women do run the sex industry. We use our bodies because we can.

I think you'd be surprised at how many girls have not told their families what they really do for a living, and I'd imagine if they were found out, they'd say they were coerced and/or exploited.

Most of the dancers in the club I worked in were not local to the area I live in. Most of them make sure they work in towns/cities where they're not likely to meet anyone they know while working.

Which, you know, I can see their point. How awkward would it be if you're parading around in bedroom clothing and your dad or uncle were to walk in while you were working? I know I wouldn't want to take that risk. ;)