So the time has come to voice my comfortably anonymous and unpopular opinion: I have a huge problem with strippercise classes. I’m know a lot of women enjoy them, but having done research in the field of sex work and knowing a bit about the sex trade in North America I find the idea of paying someone to teach me to strip for fun uncomfortable. I’m told it’s great exercise, but so is kick-boxing and yoga. Why do we need to play at being sex objects to get a good work-out? I know it’s also got the “sexually empowering” thing going for it which causes me much worry, because as far as I can tell there’s nothing all that sexual happening for the stripper- unless that pole vibrates it’s pretty much just contorting your self into positions that someone else will find sexy. It seems stripercise is “empowering” only if someone else validates your sexuality. And that is the oldest trick in the patriarchy handbook.
What do you folks think? Am I over-reacting or should we put Carmen Electra out of business?
April 1, 2009 at 12:40 pm
I agree. While I would like to be free-er myself in the bedroom with my husband…it has more to do with me getting over what was forced on me in my last marriage and less about what DH likes. While I feel if someone wants to strip, that is their choice, I don’t agree with marketing it as something that is empowering and there are a lot of other ways to be sexually empowered without it as well as getting exercise. I always thought that being sexually empowered was being on top and doing what you wanted, not what your partner wanted…
Why is it always the women that have to please men anyway? Why can’t they return the favor??
April 1, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I don’t think you’re overreacting at all.
If pole-dancing is such great exercise, why aren’t there more strippercising classes for men?
April 1, 2009 at 1:50 pm
I’m not sure I have an option but I’m doing a research paper on Burlesque in Victoria and linking it to third wave feminism. So I ask is there a difference to you (my feminist pillar) between burlesque and stripping?
April 18, 2009 at 6:38 am
“If pole-dancing is such great exercise, why aren’t there more strippercising classes for men?”
Different people like different things. If rugby is such good exercise, why don’t more women play? Why don’t more women do boxing? Sure, there are some, but the majority are men. It’s just personal preference.
I do pole dancing for exercise. It’s fun. Plodding along on a treadmill or picking up weight and putting them down again is not fun. That’s just my preference. I wouldn’t presume to tell other people what types of exercise were “acceptable” or not. And I find it a little insulting that someone would suggest I don’t have the ability to judge for myself whether I’m being exploited.
I have zero attention span for exercise, but pole-dancing distracts me from realising I’m getting a workout. After my first class, my arms were so exhausted I couldn’t lift them above my head to wash my hair. That’s a good workout.
Have you tried it, before judging?
August 6, 2009 at 5:14 pm
i totally agree with you – what is sexy for one, may not be for the other. i am a 34 yr old mom of 2, good shape, and pretty confident in every aspect of my life. my husband finds me sexy regardless! i do this particular type of exercise to feel good: mentally, physically and emotionally. other forms of aerobics absolutely bore me, this is fun and exhilarating! i say do what feels good, what works, and screw the rest!!