Stripper For A New Generation

Women. Gone are the days when we were obliged to suffocate ourselves with corsets, paint tawdry red cupid’s bows on our lips, stick tassles on our nipples and dance for money.

Now that we can read books and go to law school and stuff, we can do all those things for fun.

That’s what Dita Von Teese said during her recent interview with The Guardian‘s Sarfraz Manzoor. The notorious, genre-breaking  burlesque dancer spoke frankly about feminist issues associated with striptease, objectification and artificial beauty.

The performer, who embraces the title of stripper in a way I find admirable, described female sexual surrender as the last taboo that women will be liberated from. In the sense that it should be okay to be sexually submissive but to still “have it all.”

Bearing in mind that most mainstream burlesque fans are women, there’s no denying that this is not just a woman bending over for men.

Does the roaring success of Dita Von Teese and other modern strippers, with both genders, prove the traditionally male-dominated sex industry is becoming women-friendly?

Perhaps, in its most mainstream incarnations. Women all over the world queue up to see Von Teese. Cabaret performer Camille O’Sullivan has had one of the highest grossing shows at the Edinburgh Festival for the last few years.

The sex industry still has a long way to go. Overall, the highest earners are still men. Women continue to take the brunt of the health risks and taboo of the industry.

The work of women like Dita Von Teese combined with her frank personal philosophy over the years is a good start.

Contact the author here: miriam@morningquickie.com