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Thread: Stripper vs. Prostitute

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    Default Stripper vs. Prostitute

    First of all, I want to point out that I'm a newbie to the site and technically not even in the business yet. On those grounds, feel free to disregard what I say (as opposed to flaming me for ignorance, which I'm admitting upfront). On the other hand, I've done quite a bit of research into the topic of strippers and strip clubs (I've always found them interesting and I had a nice liberal English teacher last semester), and one thing that never ceases to amaze me is the flagrant use of the word "prostitute" to describe other hookers. I've interviewed a friend of mine on the subject a couple of times, and (according to her) the girls often say things like, "She let this guy touch her nipples, she's such a prostitute" or "She gave him that dance for $10, she's such a whore." In a recent thread on one of these forums, there's been some disagreement/name calling on the subject.

    Thanks to the fact that our "founding fathers" were extremely fundamentalist Puritans, in our society the word "prostitute" has always had enormously negative implications. The dictionary definition alone [1. One who solicits and accepts payments for sex acts, 2. One who sells one's abilities, talent, or name for an unworthy purpose] is extraordinarily biased. Wanting to distance oneself from the term is perfectly understandable. As one person on the aforementioned thread said, "Yes, this is the sex industry, but being a dancer DOESN'T mean you have to give it out."

    But as this same person just pointed out, yes, this is the sex industry. It's true that much of this business is illegal, and it is also true that the line between what is legal and illegal is fuzzy and often indiscriminately applied, by police, judges, etc. It's also true that a stripper/exotic dancer/burlesque entertainer is not the same thing as a prostitute, at least not in the specific sense. What is also true is that strippers and prostitutes, like it or not, are in the same boat. The fact that one of the occupations is marginally legal has nothing to do with it. We're on the same side of the coin. When we contribute to the negative stereotype of prostitutes, we're hurting ourselves more than them. It's not the girls who give "extras" that are giving us a bad name; it's the contributions we make to the general fear and revulsion that surrounds the word "prostitute." If we stomp a hole in our boat, it's going to sink. It doesn't matter if we draw a line and then only stomp on the side with the prostitutes. We're going to drown right along with them.

    Why do so few people have respect for prostitutes? We're all trying to make a living, some in a slightly different way from others. You'd think strippers would be among the more accepting of the idea of selling sex, considering that that's basically what we do. Yes, it's in a different form, but it's still the same idea. Is there anyone else out there who thinks that prostitutes (and strippers, for that matter) should be afforded the same respect as someone who works a 9 to 5 job?

    (Apologies if I've stepped on anyone's toes. This is something I've been fed up with for quite a while, and I might have gone a bit overboard. )

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    Default Re: Stripper vs. Prostitute

    Is there anyone else out there who thinks that prostitutes (and strippers, for that matter) should be afforded the same respect as someone who works a 9 to 5 job?
    Yes, as long as there are laws regulating prostitution, er, I mean, the sex industry so that these workers as well as their clients have the proper places to do their business, with the proper permits, the sex workers are licensed and subject to medical examinations, and clients are by law required to use protection so to avoid spreading sexually transmissible diseases. This would also make dissappear the stigma genuine exotic dancers suffer thanks to those people involved in what's now known as prostitution.



  3. #3
    Pamela
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    Default Re: Stripper vs. Prostitute

    Yes, where prostitution is legal, go for it. But not in my club. I will turn your butt in, in a second. Enough about this subject for me.
    Pamela

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    Member Megan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stripper vs. Prostitute

    Hi there! Well, you have pointed out a few things that help to lay out the issue at hand; dancers are not prostitutes in the specific sense, but this IS the sex industry, and often the discrepancies and name calling arise because of the setting and semantics; i.e. (this is an oversimplification) the belief that there are appropriate places for each, and when they overlap, a problem occurs.

    Many dancers DO respect prostitutes and "draw the line" that you spoke of in order to try to separate a dance environment from a sex/"extras" environment because either everybody operates by rules in a dance club, or it can adversely affect others. Some clubs allow a lot more than others, and so in a high-contact club, for example, nobody that chooses to dance there should be putting anyone else down for acting within the set of guidelines that is supposed to apply to everyone and is the "club culture." It becomes a problem when some girls do MORE than what's allowed while others are still trying to operate within the set guidelines.

    I know lots of dancers who don't have a problem with prostitutes doing what they do, and believe that prostitution should be legalized, but from what I can gather, it becomes a problem when someone wants to be a "clean" dancer and has to compete with "extras" that aren't even supposed to be allowed in a certain club.

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    God/dess Lena's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stripper vs. Prostitute

    Hi Rose,

    Personally, I respect anyone in any part of the sex industry.

    The phenomenom of strippers saying "she's such a whore" "girls who do more than me are sluts" "I'm better than prostitutes" etc has been well documented in a sociology paper called something like Stripping as a Deviant Behavior. Basically they said what we all know, that it's a way for insecure girls to distance themselves from the industry and feel better about themselves.

    Lena



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    Default Re: Stripper vs. Prostitute

    This is in quick mention to Carlos from PR's comment about legalization...and the need for individuals who prostitute to be mandatorily tested. I find this to be a massive breach of personal civil rights. Regardless of my profession, I never want to be told that I have to be tested...do you? This should always be a choice. The truth is is that 50-75% of the American population has gential warts, and 1/5 of the American population has herpes (statistics taken from the Center for Disease Control website). This is a massive amount of people...would you say that the majority of these people received these STI's from sex workers? Would you say that the entire American population should be mandatorily tested? Or should it only be pregnant women? Or only sex workers?

    Basically, what I'm trying to say is that everyone is at risk of transmitting if one is practicing what is considered "risky behaviors" (when it comes to genital herpes and genital warts, vaginal, anal, and/or oral sex with the use of condoms are still risky because male condoms do not cover the entire genital area:o). And I think everyone deserves the right to privacy and civil rights.

    A quick mention, sex work in the Netherlands is legalized and regulated...and no one there (if you are a street walker or high class escort) has to be mandatorily tested.

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    Featured Member Devastating Divyne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stripper vs. Prostitute

    I myself respect everyone else's choices to do what they do. I know people and have friends that do some of everything. Some famous and some not. I will never forget though that a buddy who does pornos called another mutual friend a whore b/c she works for a service. So, b/c she does it on tape and receives her money from a company and no directly from a guy, she thinks she's better than her other friend. However, the ironic thing about this is that the porno girl makes less and sees a ton more people in the course of the year than our other friend does, but she is of the opinion that she is better.
    Its always amazing how people attempt to make themselves feel better by putting others down. No matter what the profession, this holier than thou complex goes on.
    "Come what may although I often say realities come from dreams, but approach all lies with open eyes because NOthing in this world is EVER ALL it seems."

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