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Thread: Interesting article about Stripping

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    Banned Katrine's Avatar
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    Default Interesting article about Stripping

    http://www.sfweekly.com/issues/2004-...l/1/index.html

    Its about the San Fran scene but also goes through the history of how "lap dancing" begun and about discord between dancers and club management.


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    Default Re:Interesting article about Stripping

    Bleh, I wouldn't say there is "no hostility" between managers and dancers anymore, sure there are some great clubs, but I'm currently having fun with mine because of probably being fined $50 for not coming in on a day that I never said I would, that I have classes on, for an hour and a half for free. There are plenty of clubs where the managers do expect "favors" for hire or at least favortism towards girls who flirt with management over girls that are professional.

    There is a lot more tension between extras and non-extras dancers than this article implies, at least outside of San Francisco - dancers, especially if they are staying at a club long-term, will lose money if they aren't performing at the same level as the majority of their coworkers.

    Lastly, I would've like to have seen something about the real distinctions between employees and independent contractors, and the advantages vs. disadvantages of.
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    Default Re:Interesting article about Stripping

    Quote Originally Posted by Luna Maiden link=board=27;threadid=13208;start=msg172574#msg17 2574 date=1094759066


    Lastly, I would've like to have seen something about the real distinctions between employees and independent contractors, and the advantages vs. disadvantages of.

    This is where my concerns are. The article was good but, I wish they would have expanded more on this topic.

    Overall, I am happy with the stance the new DA is taking.
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    Featured Member polecat's Avatar
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    Default Re:Interesting article about Stripping

    This is a good article and I like how it takes a more unbiased approach.

    It quotes the SF Chronicle's standpoint so it's obviously pointed at non-San Francisco residents as it provides a lot of information that most "locals" would understand to be inaccurate. I do have some comments that non-locals might find interesting.

    Daisy Anarchy, the Exotic Dancer's Alliance and SWOP-USA (Sex Worker's Outreach Program), having failed to obtain an ear from the new DA.. have been exerting pressure on the SFPD. Most locals are in complete agreement that the round of unusually timed busts were the direct result of their very vocal and public actions. SFPD's media focus after the busts also confirms this, and was obviously created to put a firm decision on the new DA's lap to publicly force her standing on this issue. The organizations fighting against the sex clubs needed to know this, and the SFPD gave this to them.

    SWOP's involvement is questionable as they have collected donations and local funding towards decriminalization of prostitution, yet have been a major advocate of removing all forms of sexual activity (private booths, stage fees, curtains, etc.etc.) from SF sex and strip clubs. Unfortunely, this left many prostitutes feeling trapped. As the article accurately notes, many prostitutes were chased off the streets by increased police enforcement efforts and shuffled into the stripclubs. Now local pro-prostitution efforts are trying to get the clubs raided/busted, so they feel they have little place to turn.

    One point the article failed to mention was that 'stage fees' were increased as the result of the multi-million dollar settlements that were awarded. As an example, Mitchell Brothers raised stage fees from $100-$120 to over $300 as a result of recovering the insurance settlement fees. Word on the street is, MBOT is still making a hefty monthly payment towards this ~$3 million dollar settlement. It doesn't take rocket science to understand an additional $50-$60K a month expense is going to come from the dancers employed there. Locals are concerned if current efforts for other class-action lawsuits are filed and/or won, stage fees may hit quadruple digits, else the clubs will be shut down.

    This article is also good as it's the first to actually yield some voice from an involved dancer. All other coverage has been completely devoid of dancer/prostitute voice. Some of them, having actually worked Nevada brothel scene in the past, are not as disgruntled as the organizations allegedly 'protecting' them seem to be. As some of these sex clubs are indeed basically brothels (no lie- with fully private rooms with beds, sink, etc.), the Nevada brothel model is far more intrusive and exorbitant. Figure a brothel worker pays a daily 'facility' fee ($25-$50 flat) per day, then the house takes a 50% cut, and what is left is then FULLY taxed on their paycheck (read- another 30%+ for the most common filing statuses amongst prostitutes)... by their second customer, they have already paid the house $350, and what's left gets pre-raped by pimp Uncle Sam for another big chunk. In an SF sex club model, from the third or fourth customer on, their taking is 100% profit as the fee is a flat rate, IF they are providing sex services or services to pricing scale of such. So there is much to be said of how the fees do create an environment that is at least semi-coercive of prostitution. It should also be noted that not all SF stripclubs have such high payouts/fees.

    Lastly, since past lawsuits- some of the clubs have made their 'payout' models less susceptible to 'employee vs. contractor' lawsuits. One such example- a popular SF sex club sells 'dance chips' to patrons. The model (which is rarely followed) suggests in order to buy a dance, the customer is supposed to give the dancer a 'chip' + $20. At the end of the night, the dancers are treated as commissioned employees with a quota on sales. They are required to turn in a number 'chips'- the quantity from which varies by day and shift established on a "sane" quota of required "dance" sales. Dancers are not allowed to buy or sell chips from the house, only customers may purchase them.

    More on the 'employee vs. contractor' model... the SF sex/strip club scene DOES need reform in this aspect. Right now, sex club management has a 'have your cake and eat it to' advantage in this respect. Sex workers have all the requirements of an employee- which involves enforced minimum and managed schedules but without the health benefits, employee rights or salary. Independent contractors, as they are forced to pay a 'facility' fee for use of the establishment, it is illegal to force a hardset minimum schedule upon them. The 'chip' system or similar from above is how clubs currently get away with this and therefore can skate by as the dancers being commissional sales employees with fixed, required minimum schedules, but without salary or benefits.

    Just my $0.02
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    Default Re:Interesting article about Stripping

    Very informative post PC. I learned a lot from it.
    As some who works in the city, I am honesty not concerned about what dancers do in the club. I am concerned about how much $$ I am dishing out to the club at the end of my shift and the lack of benefits provided to us. Over all I found the article to be very informative and it didn't bash us for being dancers. Like some of the other articles have in the past.
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    Veteran Member goldclubbing's Avatar
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    Default Re:Interesting article about Stripping

    Read this yesterday...great picture on the front cover. Nice history of the lap dance too. Always have felt the clubs get away with murder when it comes to charging the girls...in fact it was the first thing I noticed after the beautiful women...how lucrative this business can be...from a management perspective its like taking candy from babies taking candy from babies....any girls want to pull your recources and open one?

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