So I went to a strip club the other day...

[A Pious Cultist]

Factor in young children or college tuition, and sometimes these women don't have much of a choice; the difference in quality of life is so extreme that it can easily corrode, override, or otherwise influence their personal morals.

Yep, as Hollywood has taught me all strippers either have young children or need to pay for tutition. :/

I'm sorry that's just so... cliche.

 

[MrFluffy-X]

My god i was only gone an hour

point is: go to a strip club

 

[s0denone]

Strippers make $50,000 a year almost as a baseline. A full-time minimum wage job pays ~$15,000 a year. Even stepping up from the minimum wage, with some type of non-technical four year degree, you'll be hard pressed to find a job with a starting annual salary in excess of $30,000.

If you don't recognize the enormous financial pressure at work here, I don't know what to tell you.

Factor in young children or college tuition, and sometimes these women don't have much of a choice; the difference in quality of life is so extreme that it can easily corrode, override, or otherwise influence their personal morals. These pressures act on an almost biological level, preying on desires for security and even our base survival instinct.

There are definitely women who love to strip and wouldn't do anything else for a living. There are far more who entered the profession, and remain there, for purely financial reasons. They would do anything else if they could, but they put on a smile and try to convince themselves that it's good work because it's the extreme path of least resistance - as society at large has defined things.

So... You did read this part of my original post:

Yeah. They're all prostitutes, except that nobody is forcing them to do what they're doing. They could work at your local Seven-Eleven, your local Burger King or they could be an employee everywhere else.

It just happens they make more as strippers, so that's what they do.

?

I've bolded the part where I basically sum up your point in one single sentence.

Do you think stripping is the only profession entered because of its pay, and most certainly because of the financial pressure?
Do you honestly think that?

That's... That's unbelievably ignorant.

If your only choice, because you flunked out of high school(high unemployment in your area), is to become a stripper... How am I, the one who pay your wages, to blame?

You do also realise that you're talking about college tuition, right? Strip clubs usually don't have soccer moms as employees -- Maybe they would if your incredibly hypothetical and astoundingly unrealistic scenario did indeed have roots in reality... Meaning that soccer moms would suddenly be out of work and have nowhere to turn except the local stripclub! Oh my god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As it stands, though, that's not the case.

Also, you may refer to the part I made italic.
There are other jobs avaliable... I mean, apart from becoming a stripper.

 

[VicunaBlue]

I find myself disgusted by this.
Simple as that.

How so?

To the OP: Good for you I guess, although that bit with the cane and ice sounds a little less than pleasant. Never been to one, doesn't seem like the kind of thing that I'd enjoy, but to each his own, eh? I'd stay away from some of the sketchier places if this is going to become a regular form of recreation for you though.

 

[Hassao]

I'd be waaaaaaaaaaaay too uncomforatable. I would look away from the dancers and feel weird about the inevitable erection.

Something a lot like this but with a gun to my head.

 

[masqueblanc]

Nah, I went to a burlesque show at the local rock club with my mates (guys AND girls) once - I felt really awkward but everyone else I was with really enjoyed it, so it was still a good night out. It helped that the girls in the troupe we saw seemed really happy and confident, they looked like they enjoyed what they were doing and I'm glad they got the proceeds from our tickets.

I think it's a matter of personal taste, to be honest, so I probably won't be going to one of these things again but it's no reason anyone else shouldn't. Just try not to go where the dancers are exploited, same as anything else really.

 

[HTID Raver]

haha nice! the amount of feminism/narrow-minded people on this thread is just inredible.

i suggest you should go with your friends at least once and have a good time!

its only akward if YOU make it that way! lol

 

[jamesworkshop]

Going to strip clubs is something I've wanted to do but when I do happen to be drunk enough to think about it I remember that I wouldn't meet the dress code.

Somewhat ironic when I think about it now

 

[ShadowsofHope]

Props to you, OP. I haven't been to one myself (yet), but I've planned to eventually.

To the haters in this thread - Really now. Stripping ("objectifying") is no different than viewing pornography on your computer, or checking out the butt of a girl in a mini-skirt walking by in the mall. Is it so hard to understand that some women simply, I don't know.. enjoy the attention? Enjoy the arousing effect they have on the audience? Enjoy just.. dancing? Not every stripper is automatically an "illegal" immigrant that has been forced into a less-than-sanitary underground strip joint to strip for less-than-honorable men, that is a very ignorant generalization of the industry.

I'm fairly sure if any of the "White Knights" in this thread tried to drag a strip dancer out of their local establishment, throw clothes and money at them, and tell them to get another job.. they'd be called a jackass in moments flat, and cold shouldered.

In the end, it's a matter of personal taste. But for fucks sake, don't demonize individuals for simply choosing to go to a strip club during a night out when it is clearly their decision. Get over yourselves.

 

[darkonnis]

So we've had it all so far:
People who think its about objectifying women
People who think its fun
People who think you go for sexual jollies
People who think you should only go with groups of friends... the list is endless

In my experience, i've been quite a few times and i've been to quite a few. Why? Not because there's naked women. Yes they're there, i dont tend to find myself straining to hard to see them, nor do i feel that i feel awkward, i just have a good time. I have a good time even if i don't go, but when you're with a group of mates and you just feel like doing something a bit different its good fun.
Last time i went, there was about 5 of us and we took some dice. We rolled to see who was buying who a dance, who was doing what shots and how many. Yeah we probably did all end up with a dance each, but i dont think personally any of us was really taking it down the whole "i cant get laid, so i stare and subtly touch myself route" quite the opposite. We had a laugh and it was a chance to talk openly to a group of women about anything and everything. What they'd been upto, what they were gonna do, what we'd done why we were there etc. Not all are like this, i can safely say that. Some are very much as elvis would put it "little less conversation little more action please" but i thought it was great. The girls were either the greatest actors ever, or as i suspect having a bloody good time laughing at us just as we were.
I tend to find that most strippers do it for the fun, or the extra cash not because they have any "habits". As many people have said aswell, no one is forcing them, they'll only take off what they want to and as someone (i guess the OP) pointed out, the lad on the door will happily point out to you that its in your best interest to behave yourself. One word fro mthe girls and your out, simples. And it isn't a question of money.
If you havent been to one, not to be rude. You can't comment, you have no idea what youre talking about and nothing that can relate to it.
Try it, careful though you are in danger of enjoying yourself.

 

[manic_depressive13]

Um... that's nice, I guess?

Honestly, how is this not trolling? It's a controversial topic and frankly lots of people (read: women) find it offensive and gross. And it is gross. I'm certain most women who do it enjoy it, but it doesn't mean everyone is comfortable with it. It's so... creepy, what with the social setting and everything.

Also, while I disagree with the more "feminist" opinions that have been presented by some users, I also felt the response to them was excessive and, at times, very rude. It's only natural that most girls would be offended by this topic, and I'm disappointed to find that an OP like this at the Escapist hasn't incurred mod wrath. It was so unrefined, and TMI, if I ever saw any >.>

 

[hazabaza1]

Don't think I'd be allowed into one as I'm 15, but even if I was allowed, I probably wouldn't go. I'm the type of guy who sits in the corner awkwardly while the girls have their clothes on. I can imagine that if they had them off it'd only be more awkward.

 

[zagazsano]

Not my thing, but happy 18th birthday!

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

Meh, not my thing. I guess it can be kind of fun if you just go with some friends and have a good time, but then again so can a regular bar. It's almost like looking at porn in a room full of other dudes, which I find kind of weird.

 

[pejhmon]

I have been to a strip club and I felt... uncomfortable. I just didn't like the whole atmosphere of the place. It felt wrong.

yeah same, a few weeks back a few of my friends dragged me into one and i left within about 5 seconds. i just didn't like the atmosphere at all. They were jeering a bit but ended up leaving moments later as well.

 

[Mr.Petey]

Also, while I disagree with the more "feminist" opinions that have been presented by some users, I also felt the response to them was excessive and, at times, very rude. It's only natural that most girls would be offended by this topic, and I'm disappointed to find that an OP like this at the Escapist hasn't incurred mod wrath. It was so unrefined, and TMI, if I ever saw any >.>

The topic does have an unnecessarily harsh put down of people who don't approve (both the extreme cases and the general uncomfortable-ness response) or side with the opening post. Some people like the atmosphere, some don't and some object to the whole idea at all. I've hated similar scenarios when I've felt uneasy about a scenario in real life, only to have my objections quashed under a hoard of back slaps and grins that seem to say "Don't ruin our fun too, just go along with the rest of us"

But we've all an opinion that should be respected, so lets go easy on those who get offended by it. It's only how they honestly feel about the subject at hand here, which I find is a tad too much info anyway in the general sense, even though on the plus side it has bought up a slightly interest morality debate in some areas.
You make a post like this and you will have both sides of the fence in equal measure. Be prepared for that in future ^_-

 

[orangeapples]

There is a strip club in my area that has a food buffet. It really is the strangest thing because the strippers are whatever, but the food is actually pretty good. Better than Hometown Buffet.

 

[Dys]

I've been once, and doubt I'll ever go again. Between 4 of my mates, about $400 was killed in less than a half hour. With $400 and a half hour, at a nightclub I could get both myself and a pretty girl quite drunk, a cab ride to a motel and a room for the night. Or I could just kick back with mates and watch pretty girls dance for free, without them pretending they like me simply so they can get in my wallet.

Personally I think its disgusting, and I find the fact that you're bragging about it even more disgusting

Sorry i guess we know how to have fun.

Do you think the strippers were having 'fun'? Do you think they feel good about themselves? I mean hey, if you have fun by demeaning and objectifying woman then well theres not much I can say. But really, next time think about how your actions make others feel.

I believe it?s disgusting how you can pass judgement on not only me but the woman. I was talking to a girl, it was her 2nd shift and she was cool as hell! she said she was glad that we met I must have talk to her for about an hour, and I never even paid her anything she was definitely having fun I even gave her a dance...didn?t get paid though !


Time to come your high horse me thinks

Well excuse me for not thinking its ok to support the idea of woman getting naked for money. I will no longer be posting in this thread.

Fair enough if you don't post in this thread again, I'm hardly expecting a responce anyway. But perhaps it's worth considering that it isn't necissarily the strippers themselves who are being taken advantage of. It takes a special kind of lonely to pay for a womans company. It seems very much to be a false profession, wherin men with low self esteem are seperated from their money.

I know girls, who are studying medicine and paying for it by dancing. They don't need to do it, but they'd rather not have all the debt from study[footnote]Typically a university student in the city I live (melbourne) can either work insane hours to survive, accumulating huge 'hecks' debt, or they can try and live and study from their parents house, allowing the lower cost of living to manage the debt.[/footnote]. As a 21 year old male uni student, I can very much relate. Make no mistake, if I could pay off a years tuition in a month for dancing on tables, I'd be dropping the insane hours I work and adopting their model, unfortunately women aren't willing to throw away their fortune watching me prance around starkers. Hell, I'd even be able to move out from my parents house...that's true luxury.

 

[TheTurtleMan]

I would only go to one with friends for social purposes versus the naked dancing ladies part. If I wanted to see naked woman dancing I would just go to my favorites bar on the internet. It saves so much time and money.