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Thread: Degradation

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    Senior Member Sirena's Avatar
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    Default Degradation

    Time and time again I hear about how stripping is so degrading when I mention it to people. I personally don't think it has to be in this industry, it's really subjective. Anyway, I was wondering what you think of the stereotype of the degraded stripper and how it holds up to your reality of stripping?

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    Senior Member teddibare2's Avatar
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    Default Re: Degradation

    I've never felt that being a stripper was degrading.I've always been proud to say that I'm a dancer.Lately I've had a real problem with how other people view strippers.People just don't understand that we're normal girls.They assume we're drug addicts,whores and idiots.They ask why we use our bodies to make money,why don't we use our brains?But is'nt your brain part of your body?I'm so sick of how closed minded society can be.Who are they to try to make me feel bad for what I do and how I live my life?

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    Veteran Member DJ_Duane's Avatar
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    Default Re: Degradation

    I think it all depends on how a woman allows herself to be treated in the Industry.

    There are dancers who allow their bosses to push them around and treat them like dirt. They allow customers to treat them like trash. ETC.

    So, for women like that (usually new to the business), it can be degrading.

    But, a dancer who expects to be treated with respect, and treats others with respect, it wont be a degrading experience.

    Dancers who use the money they make to improve their lives would find the experience of having been a dancer very rewarding, both materially and psychologically.

    Dancers who fritter their money away wastefully or simply dance to support a drug habit or a deadbeat boyfriend/husband would find their time in the Industry to have been a period where they have thrown away years of their lives and come away with nothing to show for it. For those women, its degrading.

    It all depends on how much you put into the job and what you use your time in it to get accomplished.

    Just my opinion.

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    Featured Member hannah83's Avatar
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    Default Re: Degradation

    do you dance sirena? If you do, you would already know the answer to your question.

    The reality of stripping is that we are just regular women who enjoy dancing. we enjoy the freedom this job gives us. We can be independent and support ourself without relying on anyone. i've never felt degraded because of the fact i dance. I see no reason to feel bad about what i do. I enjoy dancing, more so now than i did 2 years ago. I don't see why i should have to be ashamed about dancing. Just because society has an unfair perception of what is right and what is wrong? I'm not addicted to drugs, i'm not an alcoholic, i don't support my boyfriend, i don't do extras...i'm dancing to pay for my mortgage and my bills. Just like many other women out there.

    There are a few that probably do feel degraded, but dj duane said what i was planning on saying "it depends on how you allow yourself to be treated" if you allow the club and the custys to walk all over you, well then that's your problem.

    i have to agree with Teddibare, i'm sick of people asking why we don't use our minds. I am! Guys are going to go to stripclubs, it's just something they enjoy doing. They want to see beautiful women and spend money on them. why shouldn't i take advantage of that?
    There's a wild side behind every innocent face.

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    Default Re: Degradation

    I agree with all the above posts. I've never felt degraded, if anything, I've felt empowered by my occupatation. It's given me the means to improve my life and reach personal as well as financial goals.

    As far as "using my brain", every woman on earth as used her femininity to get something, whether it be someone to hold a door open for her or (in my case) a mortgage payment and tuition... why are you considered stupid when you use what you have natually to your advantage?

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    God/dess Bridgette's Avatar
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    Default Re: Degradation

    To answer the question simply: bullshit.

    It's only degrading if you let it be. The boss, staff, customers can only degrade you if you let them - same as in ANY job. And as for the sexuality part - who says using your sexual power for profit is degrading? Only those who don't know how or are too afraid to, IMO.

    Quote Originally Posted by pheno View Post
    When you lead a nontraditional life don't try to measure it with traditional milestones.

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    Featured Member Lilith's Avatar
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    Default Re: Degradation

    No one can make you feel inferior without your permission. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
    He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

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    aussiepunkshocker
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    Default Re: Degradation

    It's not degrading at all, end of story.

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    God/dess krchab99's Avatar
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    Default Re: Degradation

    I think the people that make sterotypes about us and say are job is degrading are people who feel threamted by us and either can't be us or to afraid to be one us. I think also of amerrican women are afraid of there sexualty and create these sterotypes becuse they feel there men will come into our club and be suduced by us. Becyse they do not feel good enough about there own sexiness. This is how i really feel.

  10. #10
    Yekhefah
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    Default Re: Degradation

    I have been getting really pissed off lately at this social assumption that strippers are being degraded or that stripping is something to be ashamed of. It's perfectly fine for guys to party with strippers or go to strip clubs; nobody bats an eyelash at that. So if it's fine for them to SEE strippers, then why isn't it fine for us to BE strippers??

    As far as I'm concerned, what's sauce for the gander is sauce for the goose.

  11. #11
    screamqueen2000
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    Default Re: Degradation

    why would i feel degraded? guys worship us as if we are goddesses in clubs and we are able to make guys pay us hundereds of dollars just to see us dance naked! granted, i did feel degraded at times at my other job, when i used to work private parties - but that environment i just woudlnt recommend that to anyone and i put myself in that situation so i have no one to blame but myself. but i rather feel empowered sometimes being a stripper, its just what you make of it. if you are ashamed of stripping and feel degraded, then u shouldnt be stripping in the first place. i love my job!

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    Default Re: Degradation

    Alot of people that are not even in dancing use their sexual power to win over someone or obtain things from people. If thats the case - were all degraded slut whores. Except, strippers take their clothes off and like Bridgette said its only degrading if you let it be. Example, if the customer grabs your cookie and you just go with it THATS degrading. If he tries to grad the cookie and you smack his hand or something then thats taking control of the situation. Not degrading at all. Besides, if stripping was really that degrading there would be alot of upset married men and lonelier bachelors.
    you live like an ivy vine
    you can only survive by clinging onto trees
    that's your flaw
    put down some roots so you can stand on your own
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    Default Re: Degradation

    *I* personally think the SC environment is more degrading to the custys than to the dancers. I mean, c'mon now, who's paying who? THEY pay to see ME....

  14. #14
    Senior Member Sirena's Avatar
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    Default Re: Degradation

    Thanks for the feedback everyone. hannah83, I don't dance but I'd like to. Minimum age here is 19, so I have to wait a couple of months. It's good to hear another perspective on this because so far, the people I've talked to about it(whom I'd thought open-minded) have been very brusque and dimissed this as degrading. I'm really sick of hearing that I could "do so much more" when this is what I chose to do, so it's good to hear assurance from the other side.

  15. #15
    Yekhefah
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    Default Re: Degradation

    I have a Master's degree and a professional job, and I'm going to start dancing as soon as I find the right club. There isn't a damn thing wrong with using what you have, while you have it, to get a little headstart on financial stability.

  16. #16
    Member LemonLime's Avatar
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    Default Re: Degradation

    Well, I used to hustle junk cars on a used car lot. Worked at Hooters as a waitress.
    Used to work as a the dunk girl in a "Dunk the Girl into the Water" game at carnivals, now that , to me was degrading.

    Hey, in terms of money, this job (stripping, dancing) is OK.

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    God/dess gypsy_girlchild's Avatar
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    Default Re: Degradation

    Wo do get to choose to become dancers. We make more money than most people and usually get to choose our hours. Most of us have the daytime with our kids or pets and have the luxury of taking off tme if we are burnt out.
    Yes, we deal with ass holes, but doesn't every one in any type of job they do?
    In our case we get to walk away, a server can't, she has to serve the jerks with a smile and can even be spit at, but if she balks she risks being fired. We can have men forcible removed from our site.
    So, what's more degrading? A thousand dollar night? Or the 2.50 an hour job?
    Please don't lick me, it tickles..



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    God/dess dlabtot's Avatar
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    Default Re: Degradation

    I once had a temp job at the dump, picking up trash that had blown out of the pit. That was not a good job but I didn't feel degraded. But someone could say I worked at a degrading job. What about cleaning a toilet? Is that a degrading job?

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    Featured Member tampadancer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Degradation

    Quote Originally Posted by Bridgette
    To answer the question simply: bullshit.

    It's only degrading if you let it be. The boss, staff, customers can only degrade you if you let them - same as in ANY job. And as for the sexuality part - who says using your sexual power for profit is degrading? Only those who don't know how or are too afraid to, IMO.
    well said, Bridgette. I couldn't agree more. It's only degrading if you LET yourself fall victim - and degradation can happen in ANY occupation

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    God/dess gypsy_girlchild's Avatar
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    Default Re: Degradation

    I don't think we are degrading ourselves, but I think it's possible to be degraded by the men/women we try to entertain. So, it's not the job, it's the people and even then as Bridgette said, it's only if you let them.
    I think the fact the we can walk away from a jerk is one of the best aspects of our job.
    Please don't lick me, it tickles..



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    God/dess cinammonkisses's Avatar
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    Default Re: Degradation

    What's funny is how people feel dancing is degrading...but what about the girl who lays on her back in the corporate world to rise at the top. Trust me, that shi happens and alot of girls do what they need to do to get to the top.

    I noticed that people who have the biggest issues about the adult/exotic industry is fat married women whose men dont want them anymore...hahah anyway!







    Some Douchebag: "[Pimp C] 12:43 am: its true we got to stick together the black people on SW CK you is teh condoleeza of SW"


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    Default Re: Degradation

    Yekhefah
    I think your response in some ways mimic Camille Paglia's work on feminism, then again YMMV. BTW may I ask what is your field of study.

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    God/dess NinaDaisy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Degradation

    I've felt more degraded walking around Manhattan and getting catcalled by assholes (thank GOD for my iPod!) than I have in 6 years of dancing.

    Men act like pigs in any setting. Not ALL men of course, but I also used to work in finance and sales and there were plenty of pigs there too.

    "Woman is the nigger of the world" - John Lennon

    Listen to that song if you get a chance. The sad thing is that is was written over 30 years ago and it still makes sense. Here are the lyrics...

    Woman is the nigger of the world
    Yes she is...think about it
    Woman is the nigger of the world
    Think about it...do something about it


    We make her paint her face and dance
    If she won't be a slave, we say that she don't love us
    If she's real, we say she's trying to be a man
    While putting her down, we pretend that she's above us


    Woman is the nigger of the world...yes she is
    If you don't believe me, take a look at the one you're with
    Woman is the slave of the slaves
    Ah, yeah...better scream about it


    We make her bear and raise our children
    And then we leave her flat for being a fat old mother hen
    We tell her home is the only place she should be
    Then we complain that she's too unworldly to be our friend


    Woman is the nigger of the world...yes she is
    If you don't believe me, take a look at the one you're with
    Woman is the slave to the slaves
    Yeah...alright...hit it!


    We insult her every day on TV
    And wonder why she has no guts or confidence
    When she's young we kill her will to be free
    While telling her not to be so smart we put her down for being so dumb


    Woman is the nigger of the world
    Yes she is...if you don't believe me, take a look at the one you're with
    Woman is the slave to the slaves
    Yes she is...if you believe me, you better scream about it


    We make her paint her face and dance
    We make her paint her face and dance
    We make her paint her face and dance
    We make her paint her face and dance
    We make her paint her face and dance
    We make her paint her face and dance
    "She has written so well, and marvellously well, that I was completely ashamed of myself as a writer...But this girl, who is to my knowledge very unpleasant and we might even say a high-grade bitch, can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves as writers"

    Ernest Hemingway on writer, aviation pioneer and horse trainer Beryl Markham


  24. #24
    Yekhefah
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    Default Re: Degradation

    Quote Originally Posted by smooth_and_cool
    I think your response in some ways mimic Camille Paglia's work on feminism, then again YMMV. BTW may I ask what is your field of study.
    Film, and I work in the Hollywood film industry. I've never read any of Paglia's work but I consider myself a sex-positive feminist along the lines of Wendy McElroy.

    BTW, regarding this thread... I was a waitress for 10 years and I spent those years hustling tips and shaking my ass in the shortest shorts I could find, flirting with men I didn't like and trying to be the sexiest so they would pay my rent. Sounds exactly like what strippers do, but for some reason it's more socially acceptable for a waitress, probably because she isn't getting paid enough to actually make her independent.

  25. #25
    Featured Member venusofwillendorf's Avatar
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    Default Re: Degradation

    i worked as a waitress.
    i leaned over to show my breasts, to make a few tips. i got treated like a servant. i got yelled at by the kitchen, snarled at by self important women, and drooled over by men who thought they owned me, because i brought them food, because i don't have a penis, because i was smack dab in the middle of what they believed a woman should be. i was told to scrub shit off the floor of the bathroom, or i would be fired. i was talked down to by managers. and at the end of the day, i was happy if i walked home with 40 bucks in tips from six hours of running around. and still i was a servant of men.
    i quit that job.
    i wanna be a dancer. show my long smooth legs in colorful dim lights, be worshipped by men who understand just how fine i am. and laugh in the faces of those who won't. i wanna be a dancer, and lean over deep to show my breasts, and be amply rewarded for it. i wanna be a dancer, and give my firey sexuality to men who understand that it's not something i owe them- it's something they pay for the privelege of receiving. i wanna wear high heels and tower over them, be looked up to with yearning eyes, have a month's rent in my garter in just two nights. i wanna be a dancer, so i can save to pay for my brother's college, be independent from my controlling mother, buy back my own life by letting men buy a look at my loveliness, when they would otherwise smirk at it for free. i wanna be a dancer, so i won't be degraded. i wanna be a dancer, so i will be free.
    be the change you wish to see in the world....
    ~ghandi

    i really love your peaches wanna shake your tree....
    ~steve miller

    why not?
    ~anon

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