Is lap dancing harmless fun that provides entertainment for men, as well
as well-paid, self-empowering work for women? The lap-dancing industry
has long argued that it offers an everyday service within free market
guidelines, but in 2010 the UK government legislated that lap-dancing
venues in the UK should be classified as "sex establishments."
So, are lap dancers sex workers rather than exotic dancers? What
attracts so many women to work in that industry? Are women being
sexually exploited and their bodies used as objects for male
gratification?
Media depictions of lap dancers often fall prey to caricatured and
stereotypical images. Having worked as a lap dancer herself, Jennifer
Hayashi Danns knows about the industry from direct experience. In
Stripped, she tells her story, and gives voice to many others who have
either worked in the clubs or been affected directly by what goes on in
them. In sometimes raw, direct language, the various contributors
express their knowledge of the lap-dancing industry and the impact it
has had on their lives.
These compelling narratives give dramatic views into a secretive and
largely undisclosed world, peeling away some of the gloss on the
surface, and revealing the often seedy and desperate reality of the
lap-dancing industry. The second part of the book offers insightful
commentary, analysis and solutions.
