#NYCStripperStrike :: Wage Discrimination + Colorism in the Clubs
This story originally aired in the October 30th broadcast of Prime News.
Strippers in New York City are going on strike to protest the shady business practices and outright racism at the clubs.
The strippers claim that dancers with dark skin are heavily discriminated against and are not permitted to dance during high-earning nights, such as parties hosted by celebrities. Club owners are either not allowing the darker-skinned dancers to dance on those nights at all or are simply banning them from the VIP areas, where they would be able to earn more.
The strippers are also calling out shady business practices in which clubs will bring in famous social media influencers or outside bartenders, which means that the money from patrons is going to these bartenders instead of to the dancers. In addition to the bartenders dressed as strippers getting the patrons’ money, the strippers claim that bartenders will outright take the money that patrons throw at the dancers.
WHAAAAAT?!?!?
Here’s what social media had to say on the topic:
We all know the strip club code! If you’re a woman and you go to a strip club, what do they tell you when you go in? 1. That you’re welcome to come in 2. That you aren’t allowed to dance! So, where do bartenders get off – not only on dancing in stripper attire and going out on the floor and dancing for money, but also taking money off the floor that was clearly intended for the dancers? I do not care what you all think about sex work – at the end of the day this is a serious workplace employment issue. Imagine if you were going to work everyday and your paycheck kept coming up short…and you kept getting excluded from opportunities because of the color of your skin.
So, I am so glad that these women have decided to gather together to organize against these conditions to make things better. Many of ya’ll had good points on this issue:
Takiya Thompson – known as @unrulybabyhair on Twitter – said this in a thread:
Melissa B – known as @BlackFeministMB on Twitter – said this in a thread:
@CandiceBenbow echoed this sentiment – she said:
Yes. And to all you feminists out there – black, white, and brown – all of your efforts, knowledge, education, skill sets, and resources dedicated to feminism should be directed to supporting these women and this issue.
With that said, ya’ll know I see legal issues written all over this. The way to make change here will definitely involve using the law to make change, including this comment by Melissa B:
I hope ya’ll are watching this because I’m with Melissa B. Start there. – @Trezanay
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