Is stripping empowering to women?

Question

Obviously it's a woman's choice if she wants to strip, that's not the question here. Do you find it empowering to women to have them take of their clothes in front of men? I know mainstream feminism is divded on this issue. Some of the so called "lipstick feminists" think it's perfectly acceptable, however I personally seriously doubt that the men who watch strippers respect them.

Please don't say "It's a woman's choice but I wouldn't do it". We've already established it's a womans choice. I want to know if you think it's empowering to women or not. And please no "is it empowering to male strippers?" in your answer. If you'd like to discuss male strippers please make your own question. Males strippers haven't divided mainstream feminism, which is what I'm looking to discuss here.

Answer 1

I think a lot of strippers hate men.

If anything, I think they enjoy manipulating men in a sexual sense, it gives them a feeling of power over men. They take off their clothes and men seem to not be able to resist watching, they even pay for it.

How can a stripper not hate men? I don't see how a stripper can see men as anything other than animals and they love to exploit them as such

EDIT: You're right, I guess I didn't answer your question. I think the strippers think they're empowered. I don't think it is.

Answer 2

Empowerment? I suppose one could see it that way If she is doing it, knowing you're drooling and You can Only Look But No touchy.  She's getting paid for your imagination and hormones running amuck...Watch those Bouncers spring into action.  It's a rough life and doesn't last long.

Answer 3

The idea of stripping has nothing to do with empowerment. Now as far as the stripper is concerned, it's just a job and the longer she's got the audience under her spell, the more money she'll make to spend tomorrow. Sure the customers are mesmerized by the sight of a naked woman displaying her body to them but its all in the name of fantasy and entertainment.

It has positive effects as well as negative. The positive being the obvious. Men (and women -- yes there are some that are into it as well) can temporarily forget about their current values/morales/lives/etc and fantasize,  relax, or whatever. The only negative effect it has is that men tend to come out expecting all women to cater to that fantasy and their perception in reality of what a woman should do or look like alters and its unfortunately backed up by media stereotypes.

So in a sense, the stripper is empowered temporarily by turning heads and winning money from onlookers with her dancing. But for women in general, it's not in the least.

Answer 4

i think, that the women who strip, belive its empowering, they have to believe that.........they have to make themselves believe that,

but then again, what do u mean by empowering, money? they make lots of that, and with money u can do lots of things. that is empowering.

but at what price?, all the money in the world cant replace the loss of self esteem, ect.

in the end, i believe its a fairy tale that women tell themselves, to make it ok, or they wouldnt be able to do it nite after nite, its the money that is most important, but no, its not empowering.

Answer 5

I think that when men sit and watch women strip it shows a complete lack of respect for women. A guy sits there drooling over a woman 'cos she's taking her clothes off and tucking a few bucks into her suspenders or some such. Its gross. They wouldn't sit there if she kept her clothes on would they.

Answer 6

It is completely cultural. In a puritanic country built on Judeo-Christian ideologies stripping, prostituting, etc is seen as wrong, dirty, filthy, sinful, etc. In other cultures like imperial Japan they had different classes of "hookers", and the ones on the top of the hierarchy seemed to be anything but prostitutes. Also some old mythologies/religions had temples and gods/goddesses devoted to prostitutes, etc.

It is 100% cultural. So I would say in American culture, relating to modern feminism, no, stripping is not empowering due to the mindset people have. It is all relative.

Edit: I was not speaking about my own personal beliefs. I was born in the US, so yes, I have been conditioned to one degree or another to feel & think the way I do although I like to think of myself as a free thinker. I don't really have an opinion about strippers... I just do not care what they do. It is an irrelevant issue to me. I would not feel empowered being a stripper myself because I was raised with views similar to Judeo-Christian ones, except probably even more strict.

Answer 7

I don't agree with the word empowerment used to describe the women's movement or feminism.  The woman stripping by choice, paying her own bills with her earnings, is in control of her finances.   How would this take away from her "empowerment" simply because the profession isn't socially accepted?  What difference would it be if she earned her paycheck by working anywhere else?  It is legal.  It might not be respectable to many, but that is a matter of opinion.

Edit....

Okay, what about male acters who accept a role, like a gansta, seriel killer, abuser, etc....would these men be accused of lowering themselves for a buck?  It's classified under entertainment, even art.   Why should stripping be any different?

Answer 8

I personally don't think so; it's just reclaiming sexism and making it look like it was your idea. The same goes for men, but you don't see them complaining of objectification as much.

Answer 9

I have yet to look at a stripper in action and think to myself, "There is a strong, empowered woman. Her family must be so proud."