Do you think strip clubs and exotic dancers objectify women?

Question

I recently read an interesting article about the so called "lipstick feminism" and it's views. If my understanding is correct, they believe utilizing one's sexuality and looks to be empowering and perfectly acceptable. However, I also read a rebutal from another feminist who believes that such notions only serve to objectify women.

I'm curious about your opinion. Do you think a woman using her looks and physical assets for gain is empowering or ultimetly objectifying?

Answer 1

I don't think it objectifies all women. If a girl wants to go show herself to a bunch of strangers then so be it, thats her....theres alot of curious men out there and lets be honest...if a decent looking woman was to take her clothes off for anything a man had he would give it to her. I see more problems in the world than this so to me its no big deal, besides....what would bars replace women with if women didnt dance nude? ;) Oh and theres male strippers also so does that objectify men?

Answer 2

They objectify themselves

Answer 3

I think it's revealing that we almost always hear people expressing concern only for women in the s*x industry, as if there were no male strippers, prostitutes, p**n actors, etc.  

I think feminism is should be about choice and expanding everyone's options, rather than limiting them or simply putting a different kind of pressure and set of expectations on people.  Having worked a lot of entry level jobs in my earlier years, I can tell you that many of them were far more degrading than dancing.  Having to deliver service with a smile and an apology while a sadistic lunatic called me names because I didn't fetch his coffee fast enough for his liking was something I found far more degrading than nudity.  In fact, in every strip club I've worked in, anyone who tried to treat me that way was quickly shown the door courtesy of a big bouncer, while I consistently had to put up with it (for pitifully low wages) in every service industry or retail job I held.  

It's no one's job to tell anyone else they're being exploited and degraded if they enjoy the job they freely chose to do.  And it's no one's job to uphold someone else's values as to how they feel women should and shouldn't behave.

American man:  That's a crappy argument I hear all the time.  Just because someone isn't willing to do their job for free, does that make it intrinsically degrading?  Can you argue that all waitresses must be being degraded, because they aren't willing to happily come in during their vacation time and wait tables for fun?  I think most of us have had jobs we wouldn't have done if there wasn't a paycheck at the end of the week.  Does that make our work shameful, immoral, and degrading, because we expect to be paid for it?  

I've never been in a strip club where it was the norm for girls to be "barely able to walk."  And I can tell you for a fact, most men do make eye contact frequently.  In fact, frequently making eye contact is well known to make you a lot more money.  It makes the customers feel acknowledged and appreciated and special.  It must be the number one piece of advice given to new dancers.

Like any job, there are people who enjoy it and have a good experience, and people who hate it and have a miserable time.  It really depends on the individual person whether they feel empowered, degraded, neutral, or anything else.

Edit:  I'm curious as to why you ask Delicious if she put it on her resume?  Are you really just curious, or do you mean to imply that a lack of willingness to reveal that info to potential employers reveals shame?  I own my own business now (as a direct result of the money I saved dancing, just BTW) but I certainly wouldn't tell a potential employer about it.  The same way I wouldn't immediately reveal to a potential employer my religion, or my political beliefs- I don't know how THEY are going to feel about it, and it shouldn't be relevant to whether I get the job or not.

Answer 4

There is a good bit of "objectifying" on both parts.  The stripper is objectified for her body....the patron for his wallet.

Answer 5

Objectifying doesn't have to be a bad thing. These women are making money out of their body, if anything it's the men that are being conned out of money for only being able to watch.

Answer 6

I think the fact that such places exist has an element of degradation involved in it. But if that's what some women want to do, that's their prerogative.

EDIT: Well, yes, I do find it objectifying.

Answer 7

The woman's body belongs to that woman.  What she does with it is not my business as long as she doesn't hurt other people.

And strippers are NOT victims - they're in control.

Answer 8

Under the current cultural views on sexuality and physical beauty, it is objectifying.

Women might think it is empowering, but that illusion always falls apart when the woman becomes too old, gets stretch marks and motherly b*****s, etc. Basing your power on beauty is a really tenuous thing. Beauty, at least how we currently define beauty, is too fleeting to base a life of power on.

Additionally, the societal scorn and contempt  in which these women are held nullifies the power they achieve. Sure honey, you can steal his dollars with your crotch, but is anyone ever going to elect you president? Nope. Because we think of s*x, in general, and female sexuality, in particular, as dirty and sinful, women who choose sexwork as a route to power will be sadly disappointed.

We all make it like this. We choose to believe in and perpetuate myths about the "way things are" and in so doing, we make it so. It makes little sense for s*x to be dirty when it is what creates all new human life. If human life is sacred, so is sexuality, and by extension so is female sexuality. Unfortunately, this terrifies many of us who would rather believe what external authority figures have told us. There is nothing more terrifying than truly considering the possibility that our beliefs are merely...beliefs.

Answer 9

I see both sides

are the women who work in strip clubs would probably prefer another job.  They probably did not go to the counselor on Career Day and say "I want to be a stripper".  They probably feel they for one reason or another need to do this for financial reasons.

However, they are making this choice.  If they truly feel objectified they are liking the money a lot more than the dignity they feel they are losing.

Feminism is about the advancement of women's ABILITY to make choices.  Why any feminist would degrade a woman's personal choice I do not know.  Taking away one's ability to choose what they do would go against the basic principals of feminism.

EDIT- No, I do not.  It is not something I would do, but if a woman (or man) wants to, I think they should be able to.

Answer 10

If they think that they are earning respect, and power they are wrong.  That is NOT how men see them.  Men don't even look at their faces - just body parts.  If that isn't objectification, I don't know what is.  

Sometimes my business clients want to meet in strip clubs, and their comments about the girls are not respectful.  If fact, their comments are similar to what you would hear at an AKA dog show.

I would never let my daughter work in one of these places.

If the work is so empowering, then why don't you see rich girls stripping full time (not on a drunken lark?)  If it is so gratifying to give lap dances, why don't women do it for free?  They charge because it is essentially degrading.  Most of the girls can barely walk and look drunk or drugged.

Answer 11

As a former Exotic Dancer....I will say...yes of course it's objectification....but...it was also an intensely powerful feeling to have men melt like pools of hot butter at my feet...

It really depends on the individual woman, some are empowered, some are degraded...it really depends on your outlook and attitude.

I adore men, and am extremely comfortable with my sexuality...for me it was as satisfying as my current career as an advertising executive.

My answer...it can go either way.

For me...quite the adrenaline rush...and very empowering.

Edit... No I do not include that very private info on my resume'.

Some things are better left unshared in the workplace.

Not b/c I feel shame...but because I realize that people misunderstand and prejudge people based on generalizations and/or their own narrow minded pre-conceived notions. I work in an extremely professional environment. I like to downplay my sexual nature and be respected as a professional, in the work place. I value my privacy and wouldn't want my co-workers knowing that about my past. Too many people are just way too uptight about sexuality for that to work to my advantage.