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Thread: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

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    Default Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Ok, this thing has been pissing me off lately. I attend lessons at a pole studio in my area and I have a love for the sport as well as the community. But some girls who say things like, "Just because I pole dance, doesn't mean I'm a stripper" don't understand that by making that statement they're essentially saying that there is some kind of honor in being a pole dancer and something wrong about being a stripper. Now I know that what they are saying is true in the literal sense, but the root of why they're saying it just angers me. Pole dancing, (to me) is a piece of culture that originated from strippers at least here in the US. So when I see someone with no inside knowledge taking part of and appreciating the art, they should (at the very least) refrain from disrespecting it's origin. I love that pole dancing is becoming an appreciated art, but why can't people have love and respect for the girls who have worked so hard to perfect it... it has an interesting culture tied to it full of hard working girls who have risked a lot to do what they do. I know I'll get a bunch of differing views here (many of which I'm sure are going to tell me that this is just a job... regardless it still makes me wanna stab a hoe) but I'd love to know what you guys think of this.
    Last edited by Leather_Jacket; 09-01-2015 at 01:18 AM.


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    Senior Member Leather_Jacket's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Just cause I wear a head-dress doesn't mean I'm Native American... yeah, no fucking shit.
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    Last edited by Leather_Jacket; 09-01-2015 at 01:12 AM.

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    I just smile and say "I know I'm a stripper, bitch. The difference is I make money while you cling to your empty dignity. Have a nice time paying bills with that."
    "Fake tits are like Kevlar. They don't guarantee your chances of survival but they sure as hell improve it."
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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    I really don't think you can equate pole dancers hating on strippers with appropriating Aboriginal culture, but, yes, I also get annoyed by pole dancers who knock stripping. However, the more underground or "taboo" that stripping is, the more money there tends to be in it, so it's a bit of a catch-22. Just look at cities where stripping isn't a big deal -- Portland, LA, Toronto, London -- you've got tons of dancers and lower earnings overall because of it. So, as much as it'd be nice for the general public (and especially pole dancers) to respect the industry, financially speaking, it's better if they don't so every chick who can strut around a pole doesn't mosey into the club to make a few bucks.

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Some of them might actually be strippers, just hard in the habit of covering their tracks and acting like Normies. I'm guilty of projecting that attitude when talking to friends or family who don't know I dance, but do know of my interest in pole dancing. Usually when pole dancing came up and someone was out of the loop entirely, they'd raise an eyebrow and ask if I'm planning on becoming a stripper or something. To which I'd wrinkle my nose and shake my head and use the line you mentioned above. "Just because I want to pole dance doesn't mean I want to be a stripper. Ew." Granted, that was with people I knew and more or less trusted and had established relationships with, but still. I don't go announcing I'm a stripper to strangers, either, and if you're still shaky with keeping your personal and work life separate, it might be hard to pull it off smoothly, so they might try to hard and announce to everyone that they're *not* strippers, no way, nuh huh, absolutely no strippers here. Just in case you were wondering, they would never do that. Neeeeverrrr. Tooootally. Yup.

    On the one hand, I'm all for the destigmatization of sex work and the desexualization of the female breast/nipple. On the other hand, I make money almost exclusively on both of those things. It would be nice if I could talk about my job openly like everyone else and share funny stories with my friends on a whim. But my inability to do that freely is part of what pays my bills, as Shanna alluded to. It's a bummer going to pole dancing lessons and hearing people shit on the people who made the class possible, but at least we're getting paid well for dealing with that attitude.

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    That's always annoyed me too...go to any pole dancing video on youtube and there's some comments like that. Yes I understand that the taboo-ness of it means more $$ for me but stupidity and hypocrisy still piss me off.

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    Veteran Member fishielicious's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Yeah, I know logically I should encourage people to keep being ignorant because their pretensions mean more money for me in the end, but it still irks me when I hear people say things like that. It's like, bitch, you wish you could be a stripper.

    I used to think I could be open about being a stripper, and would casually answer people's questions about what I did for work honestly. Boy, did I get broken of that habit quickly. It's something I regret immensely: being way too cavalier about who I let that information out to when I first started dancing. It's cost me a lot of professional connections in my graduate program, and I know a lot of my colleagues look down on me for it. I know it's their own problem, but it affects me negatively. Now I feel like you do, Candycups. So for me, as much as I wish on principle it were more widely accepted and out in the open, I know that practically that's just not the case, and financially, it's better for me that it's not. It's such a funny position to be in.

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Has anyone noticed that the pros have been implementing more strippery moves into their routines lately? I was pretty shocked when I saw the Champion's Choice Miss PDAustralia 2015 winner. Her set looked like it was straight out of a SC.

    It really rubs me the wrong way to see a community that is generally so adamant about their non-affiliation with the dark side literally dance the same exact way some of us would in the club.

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Quote Originally Posted by MyButter View Post
    It really rubs me the wrong way to see a community that is generally so adamant about their non-affiliation with the dark side literally dance the same exact way some of us would in the club.
    I think they can dance however they want, I'd rather have pole champs dancing the way pole dancing was meant to be done than dancing to it like it can only be performed like some kind of fine art ballet bs. That, and many pole champs at this time originated their moves in the club... many of them were even strippers at one point. I recently found out that the "highly accredited" pole studio I attend is owned by an ex-stripper, she also teaches the classes and more than one ex-stripper works there (they don't mention it to many people and keep a mostly professional appearance.) I guess I might be an anomaly though, cause I think I'm the only stripper that takes classes there.

    Last edited by Leather_Jacket; 09-01-2015 at 02:47 PM.

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    ^that vid is awesome lol

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    I guess the problem I have is if you are so adamant that your chosen fitness routine of doing exotic dance that requires as little clothing as possible in order to properly perform is not sexual, and you are so tired of telling people "omg i'm not a stripperrrrr" why did you pick that particular sport?

    If you want to do aerial and not be associated with strippers, guess what, you could do hoop, or silks or trapeze or chinese pole or a million other circusy/gymnastic sports where 6" heels aren't part of the uniform.

    Strippers aren't ruining the credibility of your sport. You instagramming pics of yourself doing straddles in a thong and pleasers is ruining the credibility of your sport. Nobody is looking at girls doing flags in a sports bra and confusing them for strippers.

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Pole dancers want the "edge" that comes with pole dancing without living the stigma that comes with being a sex worker. It's like slumming, it's disrespectful. At least I get paid for doing something those dumb bitches will never have the guts to do.

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Quote Originally Posted by Leather_Jacket View Post
    I think they can dance however they want, I'd rather have pole champs dancing the way pole dancing was meant to be done than dancing to it like it can only be performed like some kind of fine art ballet bs. That, and many pole champs at this time originated their moves in the club... many of them were even strippers at one point. I recently found out that the "highly accredited" pole studio I attend is owned by an ex-stripper, she also teaches the classes and more than one ex-stripper works there (they don't mention it to many people and keep a mostly professional appearance.) I guess I might be an anomaly though, cause I think I'm the only stripper that takes classes there.
    Different strokes for different folks I guess!

    When "pole fitness" is approached from more of a gymnast/aerialist/ballet/acrobat angle, the whole "We're NOT strippers!" mentality makes sense to me (not that I agree with this attitude at all!) because they are taking the sexuality out of it. But when pole fitness people continue to insist that they are above stripping and I see routines that incorporate really sexual, stripper-specific moves such as humping the floor, spanking yourself, and going spread eagle, it drives me crazy!
    Last edited by MyButter; 09-01-2015 at 04:38 PM.

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Girls who are "strictly pole dancers NOT strippers!" are some of the least sexy girls I know. I took pole dance lessons before I became a stripper and there were a few girls like that in my class. I felt like telling them, "well good because you would STARVE as a stripper!" I respect pole dancing as a sport but its not just a sport, its an ART! you have to respect its origins and the sexuality and beauty of it. If not, you just look robotic and stupid doing it.

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Just another way for these hoes to put themselves on a pedestal and down other women and down women who work as strippers.

    I bet these so called hollier than thou "pole dance" broads wouldn't invite their young daughters to do what they do or even see what they do. No matter what kind of ballet yoga arial spin they try to put on it. Pole dance, even without being in a strip club or having a mostly male audience paying to watch, is still an adult dance form.

    I call them for what they are......hypocrites ....... With deep desires to be strippers but lacking the kahunas.
    “Cook for him like a housewife, fuck him good like a nympho….pay the rent and the car note, he invests in me like crypto”

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Quote Originally Posted by Candycups View Post

    On the one hand, I'm all for the destigmatization of sex work and the desexualization of the female breast/nipple. On the other hand, I make money almost exclusively on both of those things.
    The day they are NOT "Stigmatized" and NOT sexualized, in the US, the money will be GONE. Thank Miley cyrus for that. Men in the US adore boobs, in France they see so many, they just dont care who they are on anymore.
    Pole dancers, that are good, are very athletic and do many "non erotic" moves in my opinion. I put them in the same category as the high parallel bars in Gymnastics, but the public sees a pole and , well stripping is always associated. Its good to take some lessons, but If you need them, getting them from a stripper may get you moves the pole dancers shy away from.

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    I have noticed this, like on tumblr, where there was a trend of non-stripping pole dancers talking in condescending tones of course, about how pole as a sport is NOT associated with stripping and they hate being mistaken as strippers because they have too much respect for themselves. They would often diss strippers and say that we just "dance around the pole" without doing actual pole tricks. Then they'd post pictures, as if to brag about their amazing pole abilities, of them doing basic pole tricks that I learned within a week of dancing...

    Those types of girls are annoying and in a way they are appropriating stripper culture, because they are not the ones dealing with what we deal with and the stigmas attached to it, or judgment from family, friends, classmates, colleagues in vanilla jobs, etc. Pole dancers who are not strippers don't deal with these obstacles nor the dangers of sex work. Poling is "cool" to them. What I do is actual work, because I am getting paid for it. (This is mainly implied to the girls who pole for fun/exercise/edginess, not the hard core competitive pole queens).

    At the end of my night on the pole I am leaving with a bunch of money and making a bank deposit the next day while they're talking about not wanting to be one of "us," when a lot of them really would if they had a spine.
    "Rather have my feet hurting than my pockets."

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    The hard reality is that most women CAN'T make it as strippers. They don't have the self confidence, discipline, work ethic, looks or whatever and, deep down, they know it. So they hate on those of us who can. These are likely the same bitches who show up at the club, act all sour and ruin the experience for everybody else.

    In the end, they're working jobs with an hourly wage that's similar to what I earn for one lapdance, struggle to make ends meet and the only time they can live that secret life they decry so loudly, but secretly want so bad is at their weekly pole class or when they're showing off their stripper moves at a frat party/club, hoping to attract some attention.

    On the other hand, I earn more in a 5 hour shift than they do in two weeks, drive a nice car, own a house with money left over, sleep as late as I want, work when I feel like working and otherwise live like a rock star. Self respect comes in some pretty wild flavors and mine comes in the chocolate covered strawberry champagne cheesecake variety that comes with being a stripper. Those who want to hate... I guess they're just sick of vanilla swirl.

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    This is interesting topic since I both attend a pole class and dance for a living. There are many students there who are pretty skilled at pole but they are not dancers nor have ever been. Most I've met are friendly enough but they are much older and not like hot-sexy-veteran-dancer-older but still in pretty good shape. The biggest things I've noticed as it relates to their being condescending was the way that a couple of them have given me obvious smirks when I was learning more advanced tricks that they had already mastered (most likely because the class schedule correlates better with their 9-5 jobs and most of the advanced classes start right in the middle of when I like to show up to start mid-shift. Because of that, the beginner schedule works better for me unless I'm taking a couple days off at a time which tbh, isn't very often because bills piling up lately.)


    Sooo I've heard and witnessed some interesting behavior by vanilla pole dancers such as:
    Older blond pole student: "Oh I dance for my man" (ok fair enough,right?)
    ....next class that I see her she procedes to dance flirty (stripperish) when the maintenance guy stops buy to check out the cooling vents. I was pretty sure she wasn't trying to practice any moves because all she did was do some little shimmy thing with her hips. I just thought it was a waste of energy to do something like that for free.


    Random bitch: "You're a stripper and you look like THAT!?" (I was wearing no makeup, just looking like non stripper Me.


    Me: "Um yeaaaaah.....well, I'm a normal girl, we all are. I mean, I don't go to work like this lol)


    Other random bitch who laughed at me for missing a move when she herself is super new to both pole and dancing then had the nerve to say this after me and one other girl had to be in another part of the room to do advanced while she could barely do a simple fall-forward that I learned my first shift: "you've been dancing for how long? And you still get bruises?!"


    Me: ..."Umm YEAH."


    Not all of the ladies their are like that, but the ones that ARE this way are just foolish to me and corny. They like the stigma that keeps dancers from being treated with respect from society and even our own family members at times. I wouldn't equate it to the same level as ethnic or religious appropriation per se, but I have to say that dancers are a different breed for sure than vanilla society. There is something that we have that they want and they are trying to scratch that itch but good luck to them for that because as I've told girls who don't understand, "This is NOT a music video. This is what I DO."

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Quote Originally Posted by MetalRoses View Post
    I wouldn't equate it to the same level as ethnic or religious appropriation per se, but I have to say that dancers are a different breed for sure than vanilla society.
    I think this is pretty spot-on. The matter of fact is that pole-dancing as a culture WAS developed by strippers, and trying to sanitize it to make it acceptable for mainstream consumption not only reeks of elitism, it actually IS appropriative. Why? The stigma of being a stripper hasn't disappeared, but paradoxically "stripper chic" is becoming more and more mainstream. Pole-dancing as a sport puts a lot of effort into distancing itself from it's sexual history, but relies almost exclusively on stripper aesthetics and sex appeal. Also, people who pole-dance for fitness tend to emphasize that they're not strippers, just "regular people," which further implies that those who ARE strippers are "irregular."

    Despite being borrowed heavily from what women have been doing in strip clubs for decades, the fact that pole-dancing is only deemed acceptable when it's for leisure or personal empowerment rather than actually earning an income is really degrading to the women who do it as a profession because they're basically taking out all the "fun" and "cool" aspects of it without acknowledging the kind of stigma you have to endure on and off the job.

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Delusional bitches. Their pole moves won't stop their men from going to strip clubs.

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Quote Originally Posted by Vyanka View Post
    Delusional bitches. Their pole moves won't stop their men from going to strip clubs.

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Quote Originally Posted by Vyanka View Post
    Delusional bitches. Their pole moves won't stop their men from going to strip clubs.
    This is the funniest shit I've read all day

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Quote Originally Posted by Vyanka View Post
    Delusional bitches. Their pole moves won't stop their men from going to strip clubs.
    This is the funniest shit I've read all day

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    Default Re: Pole Dancer ≠ Stripper

    Quote Originally Posted by shinysugar View Post
    This is the funniest shit I've read all day
    Yep not to mention accurate too....

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