Words by Katia Schwartz & Photography by Jack Ailwood
The writer of this post, Katia has worked in the Adult Entertainment Industry as a Professional Showgirl and Stripper for over a decade. After retiring from the Industry, Katia continues to advocate for Sex Workers. She publicly discusses her time in the industry to create awareness, and has set up a discussion panel ‘Disrobed’ that is both a platform for Sex Workers to tell their stories and also a separate Sex Worker only space. As the owner of Sky Sirens, Katia prioritises the hiring of Sex Workers and works towards preserving the history of Pole and Erotic Dance through educating the community and her students about its connection to Sex Work. This article was written from Katia’s personal experience, and that of friends and co-workers. It’s important to acknowledge that this is just one voice amongst many, and as a civilian wishing to engage in ethical Pole practice, it’s important to hear many Industry voices - especially the stories & experiences of BIPOC.
As the Art of Pole Dance becomes more integrated into mainstream society, the connection to it’s Stripper roots are being watered down. With terminology like “Fitness Pole” and #notastripper and the censorship of Sex Work on Social Media, Sex Worker appropriation is on the rise. We can all appreciate that wearing Pleasers and embracing Stripper Aesthetic can be liberating and fun. Learning Pole and erotic dance styles can also be a great way to get in touch with your sensuality – feeling sexy is important and confidence-building! So if you’re not a Sex Worker, how can you participate in Pole and Erotic Dance styles ethically?
When I entered the Adult industry over twelve years ago, life as a Sex Worker was very different to nowadays. There was no such thing as Instagram, and Facebook was only just becoming popular so there was no way to connect to other dancers in online groups. There were forums on a few websites, but most of these were sources from overseas and not super relevant for Australian dancers. As an Adult Industry worker, you were completely isolated. There was no funny memes to share, no stripper-created art or merchandise and certainly no “insta-famous” Sex Workers to connect with. Your average stripper wouldn’t walk around amongst civilians wearing t-shirts with slogans like “Money makes me cum”. The idea of being ‘proud’ of working as a Stripper was not something that most dancers during that time experienced.
Like all communities, Dancers from my generation and of the generations before created and passed on a set of behaviours, beliefs, aesthetic and artforms. In essence, we created and passed on “Stripper Culture” from one generation to the next. Our shoes, little outfits, expressions, sayings and the way we dance all became part of our collective identity.
“I’d also like to acknowledge here, that Australian Stripper culture has roots in American club-culture which was very much pioneered by Black Americans and POC.”
Over the years, elements of ‘Stripper culture’ have been exposed to mainstream world through various channels. One of the biggest, is studios offering Pole Dancing and other erotic dance classes to the general public. The generation of Strippers in the decade before my time, Bobbi, Jamilla, and also Suzie Q (to name a few!) pioneered the teaching of Pole and Erotic Dance styles in Australia.
Exposing civilians to Stripper Culture reduced stigma and broke down a lot of barriers for Strippers. These brave women outed themselves, which allowed civilians to engage in Stripper Culture and form appreciation and respect to Strippers. The increased popularity of social media (Instagram in particular) also allowed our culture to spread, as Strippers were able to connect and share with one another. Dancers finally had ‘out’ role models and a sense of wider-community. We became stronger and prouder of our Sex Worker identity as we no longer felt isolated and alone.
But just like every minority group that shares their culture with a wider audience, there is always a downfall. Civilians created terms like “Fitness Pole” and #notastripper, and began opening their own studios that advertised the idea of “losing weight” and becoming fitter through Pole Dance. While this information can be true, and it’s not always a negative thing to advertise - it’s more that the concept of “fitness pole” on it’s own creates separation of Pole Dance to it’s erotic roots. Studios and personalities that have disconnected Pole Dance from Stripping and don’t educate their students/followers on the history of the artform has now done the opposite of reduce stigma. It’s saying that the art of Pole Dancing is okay, but Stripping is not.
I’d like to add that the distinction between Pole Dance and Stripping is natural, and important. Strippers can be Pole Dancers, and Pole Dancers can be Strippers, and Strippers may not be Pole Dancers… and Pole Dancers may not be Strippers. Pole Dancing and Stripping aren’t exclusively the same, and that line shouldn’t be blurred. However, Pole Dancing should never be separated from Strippers. This is because Strippers created Pole Dance.
“A group can share their culture, but if you aren’t part of that culture –it’s not yours to own.”
The Industry has now become flooded with people from non-stripper backgrounds creating businesses, events and performances that are so far removed from Stripping and ultimately don’t offer respect to those who created the artform.
Despite dancers having more freedom to be “out” in certain communities and platforms nowadays, there is still massive amounts of stigma associated with the industry. The oppression of Sex Workers and Whorephobia is still very much alive in mainstream culture. Even though it has been reduced significantly since my time, we still have a long way to go as a society.
It’s important for Strippers to have the opportunity to share their culture and art with civilians. For many Strippers with large gaps in their resumes, teaching Pole Dance is a safe way out of the Industry where they can continue their career and passion. And as a student, being taught by an Industry Professional is an incredibly valuable experience.
But as a lot more studios open their doors, increasingly less are owned and operated by current or ex-Strippers. These studios are less likely to give employment opportunities to Strippers, and it’s hence made the Pole Dance teaching industry quite competitive and difficult to find employment.
Another issue with the uprise of erotic classes, is that civilians are skipping years of “club” work experience and are getting jobs as Professional Showgirls. For those unfamiliar with Strip club terminology, there are two different types of “Strippers” in your average club. You’ve got your “Strippers” who perform on podiums, and hustle for private bookings with non-guaranteed pay – and then you’ve got your “Showgirls” that will do a themed 12-15 minute performance with guaranteed pay. In the past, one would need to work for some time as a “Stripper” before basically being “promoted” to a Showgirl (it’s not necessarily a promotion, it’s just a different career pathway for Strippers). Showgirls are still classified as Sex Workers as they perform an erotic show, and strip to full nude. However you don’t deal with nearly as much *bullshit* as club Strippers – and hey, you also get guaranteed pay.
Civilians that have been taught erotic dance and Pole in studios are beginning to catch onto to the idea of being a “Showgirl”, and are bypassing the time being a Stripper (aka not wanting to deal with the *bullshit* that comes with the job). I personally have a huge issue with this, as it’s another way of taking opportunities from Strippers working in the industry who don’t have the access to attend classes. With civilians coming in and going straight to the “promoted” position of a “Showgirl”, makes it very difficult and competitive for Club Strippers striving for this opportunity and also existing Showgirls in need of these bookings to support their career.
It’s so important for civilians to engage in classes and share Stripper culture. So as a civilian wanting to engage ethically in Pole Dancing and other Erotic classes, where do you start? I’ve popped together a little guide to how you can participate in classes that will support our aim of reducing the stigma associated with Sex Work.
It’s important to do some research on the studio that you’re planning to attend. Is it owned and operated by a current or ex-Stripper? Does the studio employ Strippers? To actively support Sex Workers, it is not enough to simply choose any studio offering Pole Dancing classes. By choosing a studio that isn’t owned and operated by Strippers, you are adding to the exploitation of our artform. If you live in a remote area, and don’t have access to a studio that isn’t owned and operated by Strippers, consider online classes from a Stripper* themselves or a Stripper-owned studio with online alternatives.
*Be mindful that not all Strippers have Pole Dancing skills or the knowledge to teach. Teaching is a specific skill that needs practice and experience. When choosing a Stripper mentor, ensure they have been in the industry for a significant amount of time, and prioritise career Strippers.
Know your Pole Dance and Stripper history, and remember the names that pioneered the Industry in your country. If a “move” is named after a Stripper, learn about who they are and follow them on social media. If they have workshops, attend them. If they write a book, buy it. If they open a studio, take a class there.
This advice is for baby or new-generation Strippers as well. Have respect for the dancers that paved the way for you to have the courage to be “out” and proud of your identity. As baby-strippers, your voice is important. But it shouldn’t be the only voice that is heard. Don’t take up all of the space. Allow the Strippers who were lap-dancing while you were still in primary school (or not even born yet!) to be heard too. Know who they are and respect them.
Wearing Pleaser shoes and “Pole Dance” outfits to class when you’re learning is part of the experience of learning Pole Dance. Just like wearing embellishments in a cultural dance class (eg. Bollywood or Belly-dance), wearing Stripper-attire to a Pole Class is completely acceptable. However, the line between appreciating a culture and appropriating a culture can be difficult to navigate. Pretending to be a Stripper during a performance of your own, is an example of that line being crossed. Including elements of Stripper culture like money being tossed or being tipped is a form of glorifying the industry. If you’ve never experienced the lows of the industry, it’s not appropriate to represent the “highs” on stage.
Another example of appropriation would be wearing Stripper attire outside of the classroom/performing environment. For example, if you do a “bedroom” or “street” photoshoot and wear Pleaser Heels, or you go clubbing on the weekend and wear your Stripper Boots. Both of these examples are outside of the context of classes and performing, and the same example can be applied to other cultural artforms too.
Being mindful of the language that you use is important to ensure you are being respectful to Sex Workers. Words that are derogatory towards Sex Workers (for example “Prostitute” or “Hooker” etc.) shouldn’t be used to describe anybody in the Industry. Even calling yourself a whore (in an affectionate way) and other words with similar meaning if you’re not a Sex Worker isn’t appropriate. Even though the word “Stripper” isn’t derogatory, you shouldn’t be using it to describe yourself or your performance style if you aren’t a Stripper.
I’d like to also take the opportunity here to mention that if you are a Sex Worker, you have every right to reclaim derogatory names or label your performance style how you wish. For example, as an ex-Stripper, I also have every right to call my classes “Stripper” or “Erotic” etc. because these labels form part of my identity and I have worked hard to be proud of who I am and what I am teaching.
Supporting organisations such as Scarlett Alliance is a good way of contributing to the Industry. However, donating directly to Sex Workers (ie. contacting your favourite Sex Worker on Insta) is a great way of supporting the industry – especially during the pandemic!
Visiting clubs and adult venues is also a great way of supporting the industry. However, you’ll need to keep in mind some etiquette. The money that you pay to get in, doesn’t go to the Strippers. The Strippers only earn money through private shows and tips, so make sure you take a couple of hundred dollars (as a minimum) to account for a lapdance, tips, drinks and entry fee! Don’t waste any dancers time by “having a chat”, and ensure you’re not talking to their customers, preventing them from gaining a sale either.
Sharing posts from your favourite Sex Workers on your online platforms is also a great way of supporting the industry and reducing stigma. It’s important for the general public to hear our stories and be more aware of the issues Sex Workers face.
As a final note, acknowledging the history of pole dance is a great first step in your journey of being an ethical “civilian Pole Dancer”. However, it can’t stop there. You need to be putting your funds, time and energy in supporting Strippers too. It’s so important for Strippers to continue to have the opportunity to teach Pole Dancing and continue sharing our culture. With online platforms creating rules that oppress Sex Workers and perpetuating the notion that “Pole Dancing is okay” but “Strippers aren’t”, the stigma will continue. For those civilians engaging in Pole Dance, it’s your responsibility to ensure that the pioneers of this incredible artform aren’t exploited as a result of your learning.