Sundahl, `Stripper`

The author describes her job as a stripper to be liberating being that she exercises sexual and economic choice.   She says that "the right to control your body means the right to be sexual as well." However, women are limited through their gender role expectations.   It is as though women should be sexy but not sexual. Women should look sexy for men's viewing pleasures.   "The sex industry was created for men by men" so she started the first women-only strip show at a lesbian bar.   "The future looks promising and challenging.   Women are opening vibrator stores, publishing erotic materials for other women, making adult videos with women in mind, and producing erotic entertainment." The author says that "stripping is traditional women's work as much as waitressing, teaching and secretarial work is."   Men hold the power positions in these fields and the women are overworked given the great demand for women in this profession. "Women have traditionally been bottom level workers while men have held management and ownership positions."   The author would argue that stripping should be respected and protected like work in other occupations.   "Most dancers work more than forty hours a week, no vacation or overtime pay is provided, nor are their health benefits." She considers sex workers to be an "oppressed minority" because they internalize negative stereotypes, fear rejection, live closeted lives, and face many emotional problems such as the struggle for self-esteem.   Strippers are stigmatized by society for the work they do.   Many feel as though it is okay to be the female who sell sex toys and videos but not okay to be the women in these videos.   Many believe the stereotypes that "sex workers are abused, come from broken homes, abuse drugs and alcohol, lead violent lives, and are forced into or turn to the sex industry out of desperation."   In actuality, strippers are students and teachers etc. The author was an educated woman who was even conscious of women's issues being a History and Woman's Studies major.    - B.D.

In her article "Stripper," Debi Sundahl's argues against the popular belief that stripping is an oppressive and antifeminist act for women.   She examines her own life as an erotic dancer and claims that stripping can be a "positive expression of human sexuality."   She writes that to be sexual is natural and women, like men, should be able to express their sexual desires.   Sundahl's experience differs from many strippers' experiences in that she worked in a very female-friendly clean theater environment, where she was able to express her sexuality without feeling abused.   While negative attitudes exist about stripping objectifying a woman's body, Sanduhl explains that when performing, not only is it acceptable for the female body to be seen as an object of sexual desire, but it is positive feedback that the stripper is doing a good job.   She refers to her erotic dances as artistic performances, where sexual desires should be acknowledged.   She writes that working in such an environment has taught her more than anything that she is control of her body and her sexuality.   In her article Sundahl explains how stripping can be an oppressive job for individuals, but she also shows a different view of stripping, in which it can be extremely sexually liberating work.   She successfully argues that stripping can be a feminist act, by using her personal life as support.   Having opened up the first lesbian female strip-club, Sanduhl shows that she is encouraging women to be open about their sexual desires.   Overall, Sandulh shows that sexuality is healthy and that if handled appropriately, women can gain a lot from working as erotic dancers. -KM

Sundahl's representation of the stripper occupation is particularly positive. As a college graduate with a background in women's studies and feminism, Sundahl is quick to assert control over her sexuality. Having tapped into the lucrative side of stripping and burlesque performance, Sundahl is highly bombastic over her positive experience. Thankfully, however, midway into her article she points out the dangers and unsafe and unaccommodating working conditions many strippers face. Clearly, like many industries, Sundahl points out that the stripping industry is a male-controlled one, with women oftentimes earning measly wages and with little agency. Stripping, a controversial topic in feminism due to the question of whether it promotes the expression of sexuality with women having agency versus the notion of it being demeaning and catering solely to the sexual needs of men. Sundahl adds credibility to her article by discussing the negative aspect of stripping. However, her article seems to be expository as opposed to argumentative and she fails to address her white, educated privilege--two factors that certainly increased her "rewarding and rich life as a stripper" (180). -M.B.