Mythbusting the Stripper Taboo
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The word "stripper" comes with a lot of negative connotations, but for hundreds of thousands of women around the country, performing nude (or partially nude) onstage is just a normal part of the industry that they chose to enter.
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A new series of memes created by a stripper, who has chosen to remain anonymous, highlight the ups, downs, and sometimes, the hilarity that can come with the job.
Imgur - imgur.com
"This was a great way to start off," the user wrote in the description under this meme.
“I had to run to the store in the middle of work and buy new dancing shoes, then finish the rest of my shift.”
The user created and posted these memes to Imgur. According to comments that the user made on the site, he or she has worked as a stripper for about four months, as of the time of publication.
Imgur - imgur.com
"I actually thought this was pretty funny," the user wrote. "Dollar bills don't always fall down like they do in the movies. Plus I got $60."
How strippers are fighting back against the stigma
The stigmatization of the profession, and the slut-shaming that frequently accompanies it, are some of the issues that many strippers across the country have begun to confront.
"The hardest part about being a stripper is battling the stigma that we are victims that need help from outsiders," Elle Stanger told the Associated Press earlier in 2015.
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Stanger is a stripper who's been working with Oregon lawmakers inside the state legislature to improve working conditions in her industry, according to CBS News.
"It doesn't matter if you work in education, clergy, any kind of blue collar work—the people who do the work know what the work environment needs," Stanger said.
But she isn't the only performer demanding better treatment.
Last year, a federal judge ruled that a New York City strip club owed its dancers more than $10 million in back wages and tips, according to CBS News. The dancers initially filed the lawsuit because they received no steady wage, and they were actually required to pay a fee to the club in order to perform.
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As funny as some of the user's memes are, there are also some that highlight the disrespect that strippers are sometimes subjected to by customers.
Imgur - imgur.com
"This guy was tugging at our shoes, grabbing our legs and yelling rude shit all night," the user wrote.
"I don't feel bad at all. Asshole got what he deserved."
But despite the pros and cons that come with the job, here's what the user had to say about the stigmatization of strippers specifically:
"When someone gives me shit for stripping:"
ATTN: reached out to the user for comment, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
