The truth about lapdancing - article

[EightiesChick]

In today's Guardian - not surprising to a lot of people, but it's useful to see this being given coverage. And important points are made like the fact that the system works so that the dancers are actually financially subsidising the clubs on slow nights, and that rather than being 'empowering' dancers face very negative comments about their bodies from customers a lot of the time.

We have just had a brand new club open in our area, there have been ads in our local paper for "amateur night" paying people £20 to "have a go", and sadly I can see how this would appeal to people desparate for money. It seems so wrong that they can advertise like this.

The article was excellent. She makes a very valid point about most surveys focusing on people who are in the industry and not those who have escaped it.

What can people do to fight against businesses like this?

So disturbing but a very good article.

How do we prevent our sons from turning out like the vile men in the article?

Sadly for every article like this, there will be three in other papers where girls will extol the empowerment of lap dancing, and its usefulness in paying off tuition fees.

People will still believe what they want to believe.

I shall get DH and sons to read this though.

Oh, that is so horrible .

Good to see the subject being reported in this way though.

OneHand - yeah, true. So sad.

Seasidesister - join OBJECT (look on the website) and support the fight!!!

Also, this is really good timing. As a member of OBJECT I am doing a talk in a Women's Centre about lap dancing and the truth. Thanks and wish me luck!

Im joining. Thanks. Good luck Mrs Clown.

That is a great article - thanks for linking.

Those places are insidious. I am going to have a alook at Object.

Thanks OP.

Good luck MrsClown. I would love to be there!

Thanks for the link. Our local paper had one of the 'other' article yesterday and I'm trying to decide whether to complain about it. The more the reality is known, the better.

Interesting article.

It really captured the meat market aspect of these places.

Dr Teela Sanders produced and interesting piece of work on lapdancing.

That link makes for interesting - if slightly sad - listening, MsAnnTeak.
Thanks for posting.

My gut reaction would also be to agree with the article and most of the comments above. The thing that gives me some cause for doubt is that one of my in laws is a barman at a poll dancing club and he says that a couple of the girls are doctors from the local hospital; I don't think he's making that up. It's confusing.

Out of curiosity I've visited a couple of lap-dancing places and chatted to the women working. Far better picture of what goes on than reading newspaper articles.

Really? Speaking to a couple of people. I don't know why researchers bother when speaking to a couple of people is plenty. You could save research councils a fortune.