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Stripping in America’s Heartland: Creating Boundaries and Negotiating Consent

Rachel Henderson

My name is Rachel Henderson and my senior capstone research project is called “Stripping in America’s Heartland: Creating Boundaries and Negotiating Consent”.

1 The Debate

Abolitionists Rights Advocates • No one can consent to sex work • Sex work is consensual; is • Sex work is inherently exploitative not and violent • Sex work is legitimate work • Sex work should be criminalized • Sex work should be decriminalized • Sex workers should be protected against violence and exploitation

To begin, I want to give context to my research: The Sex Work Debate. Can a person consent to sex work? Abolitionists are anti-sex work. They believe sex work is never consensual because it is inherently exploitative and violent. Sex worker rights advocates acknowledge that many people do consent to sex work. They believe that the decriminalization of sex work will ultimately make the safer— protecting labor rights will be extended to sex workers (e.g. protection against harassment and exploitation).

2 Moving Beyond the Debate…

What does consent look like after consenting to sex work?

How is behavior regulated in the ?

How do sex workers create boundaries for themselves and their clients?

How do sex workers negotiate consent with their clients?

For my research project, I wanted to move beyond this debate. I started with some key questions to guide my research:

3 Stripping in America’s Heartland • What led me to this project… • Academic career dedicated to research over the sex industry • Four years experience working in strip clubs • Access to dancers and various clubs

Which brought me to this project, Stripping in America’s Heartland. This project seemed like a natural culmination of my undergraduate studies, given that my focus has primarily been the sex industry. For example, in 2018, as part of my independent study with professor Sarah Deer, I developed a syllabus for a hypothetical course on sex work. I also have personal connections to the sex industry—I have been working in strip clubs for over four years (when I’m not going to school full-time). This gave me access to dancers, and various clubs, which was vital for this project. I have anticipated this project for the last four years and am excited to share it with you!

4 The Perfect Venue • Strip clubs are legal sex work venues • Three sources of rules guiding behavior inside the strip • The • Club rules • Dancer boundaries • Investigating the relationship between these three sources of rules reveals how behavior is regulated inside the , how dancers create their boundaries, and how consent is negotiated

Working in strip clubs gave me access to sex work venues. Besides being accessible, strip clubs are legal and behavior inside strip clubs is heavily regulated—precisely what a project investigating behavior needs. There are three sources of rules guiding behavior in the strip club: the law, club rules, and dancer boundaries. Investigating the relationship between these allowed me to answer my research questions.

5 Methodology • Legal research • One month auto-ethnography inside a strip club • Interviews with three • A “round table” • These methods helped me determine the relevant laws, various club rules, individual dancer’s boundaries, and customer behavior

To investigate the relationship between the law, club rules, and individual dancer’s boundaries, I employed several research methods. First, I conducted legal research to locate relevant adult codes. I also conducted interviews with three strippers as well as hosting a stripper round table where dancers freely discussed the rules of the clubs they worked at and their personal boundaries, as well as interesting work stories. Finally, I conducted one month’s worth of auto-ethnography inside a strip club, working seven-hour shifts and recording my experiences immediately after. These methods produced a wealth of knowledge that I have broken down into easily digestible pieces.

6 RESULTS

Next, we are going to look at the findings of my project. I have created an easy to follow diagram and will explain it piece by piece.

7 The text of the law is clear and strict.

LAW

“No person shall, on licensed premises, perform acts of or acts which constitute or simulate: (1) , , sodomy, bestiality, oral copulation, flagellation or any sexual acts which are prohibited by law; or (2) The touching, caressing or fondling of the , buttocks, anus, or genitals” —Adult Entertainment Code, R 67-92, Article IV §1A

First, we look at the law. The law is strict and clear in its regulation of strip clubs. For example, the law explicitly forbids touching boobs and butts. To represent the law, I have used a solid straight line to show its rigidity and specificity. I have included an excerpt of the Adult Entertainment Code:

8 The law is (somewhat) encompassed in club rules, but the law is noticeably removed from what happens in the strip club.

CLUB LAW RULES

“Oh at Juicy Lucy’s, their club rules are lower than the law. You can touch boobs and a lot of stuff. At a lot of clubs it’s that way. It's more full service, even though the law does not allow that.” —Sapphire

Next, we look at the relationship between the law and club rules. Club rules are written and enforced by . Management has an obligation to reflect the law in their club rules. Some clubs are more likely to obey the law than others. Dancers know which clubs obey the laws and which do not. To represent the relationship between the law and club rules, I have used a long solid arrow to show that the law informs club rules but is removed and distant from what happens in the strip club. Sapphire discusses a club that does not enforce the law:

9 Club rules can be unclear and arbitrarily enforced.

CLUB LAW RULES

“I guess these are rules that they pick and choose which girls to enforce them upon. And I haven't found any real pattern to that other than just who management likes the best that day, which changes week to week.” —Lily

Next, we look at club rules. Club rules can be unclear. Club rules regulate dancer (and customer) behavior. Dancers might not be informed of all the rules or new dancers might be given stricter rules than veteran dancers at the club. Often dancers learn something is against the rules when they are being punished for it. Club rules are arbitrarily enforced. Meaning, management randomly punishes dancers for breaking the rules. Dancers that are favorites of management—perhaps because they generously tip management or are especially pretty—are less likely to get in trouble for breaking the rules. To symbolize club rules, I have used a dashed circular line, representing the inconsistency of the rules—sometimes they are enforced, sometimes they are not. Lily explains:

10 Club rules heavily influence dancer boundaries. Dancers are liable for breaking the law or club rules.

CLUB DANCER LAW RULES BOUNDARIES

“I adhere to the rules of the club like the no touching of and stuff like that.” —Lily

“There's certain rules that if you break, you get fired on the spot.” —Veronica

Next, we look at the relationship between club rules and dancer boundaries. Club rules heavily influence dancer boundaries, because dancers are punished for breaking them. I have used a short solid arrow to represent the close relationship between dancer boundaries and club rules. Club rules might differ from the law, and when they do, dancers are more likely to follow club rules. For example, there is a law forbidding touching butts, but every dancer I interviewed allowed customers to touch their butt because it was permitted by the club. The law requires dancers to wear , and many dancers do wear them, but because the club requires it. The club might justify the rule because it is a law, but dancers are primarily concerned with the club rules. Lily and Veronica weigh in:

11 Despite this, dancer boundaries are ultimately fluid depending on customer behavior and other factors.

CLUB DANCER LAW RULES BOUNDARIES

“There are a lot of times where I've let customers do more than I was comfortable with. I've noticed in like VIP clubs or when there's not a lot of customers to choose from.” —Sapphire

Next, we look at dancer boundaries. The law loosely informs club rules and club rules heavily influence dancer boundaries. Although dancers are liable for breaking both club rules and the law, other factors ultimately decide what their boundaries are. These factors largely have to do with the customer and money to be made. When there are few customers in the club, dancers are more likely to be looser with their boundaries. When a customer is spending a lot of money, they might be willing to do more then too. Some customers are especially gross or rude, and dancers are likely to do less for them. I have used a wavy line to represent the fluidity of dancer boundaries. Sapphire shares her experiences:

12 Dancer boundaries loosely regulate customers behavior.

CLUB DANCER CUSTOMER LAW RULES BOUNDARIES BEHAVIOR

“I had this one customer that repeatedly put his “I definitely enforce my own hand around my neck, around the front like this boundaries. I look at them all the time (grabs throat), choking me. And he did that two and say ‘Don’t fucking do that’ or ‘Sit or three times. The first time I was a little bit kinder on your hands, keep your mouth to about it, ‘oh, don't do that. I don't like it,’ or whatever. And then by the second time, and yourself’” —Lily then the third time, I left at that point. I was over it. I don't think I went and told a because they weren't gonna do anything.” —Lily

Now we look at the relationship between dancer boundaries and customer behavior. Ideally, customers would always respect dancers’ boundaries. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. I have used a dashed arrow to symbolize this loose relationship between dancer boundaries and customer behavior. I have included two quotes from the same dancer—Lily—contrasting the different ways she enforces her boundaries. Sometimes dancers are blunt, and sometimes they are gentle and kind. They are more likely to be kind at first and become stricter if the customer’s behavior continues or worsens. Bluntness might negatively impact a dancer’s ability to make money, and dancers take this into consideration when enforcing their boundaries.

13 Club rules have a greater impact on customer behavior.

CLUB DANCER CUSTOMER LAW RULES BOUNDARIES BEHAVIOR

“I’ve had lots of customers who say things like, ‘I would do this, but I don’t want the bouncer to kick me out’ or ‘I want to lick your pussy but I don’t want to get blacklisted’ rather than ‘I would lick your pussy if that was within the range of your boundaries.’ They ignore the fact that we may not want it and go straight to outside consequences. Cause it doesn’t matter to them if we want it or not.” —Sapphire

Customers are more likely to listen to club rules than dancer boundaries. Dancers know this and often cite the club rules when enforcing their own; “You can’t touch my boobs it’s against the rules.” Customers often indicate that they will not respect dancer boundaries if they do not line up with club rules, or if they think they can get away with it. To represent this phenomenon I have used a thick solid arrow connecting club rules to customer behavior, sidestepping dancer boundaries entirely. This speaks to a larger issue of men treating women as other men’s property, and not affirming their ability to consent. Another problem: the assumption that being a sex worker gives people the right to do whatever they want to you. Sapphire explains:

14 Conclusions • Sex workers consider the law and the rules of the establishment in which they work when constructing their boundaries. Boundaries are personal and differ from person to person. Customers often try to defy sex worker boundaries. In these instances, it is beneficial to the sex worker to have their boundaries line up with the law or establishment rules, as the customer is more likely to respect those.

I have drawn the following conclusions from my research:

15 What strippers want you to know… • It is important to respect sex workers’ personal boundaries, regardless of the law or establishment rules. Sex workers are human beings capable of giving consent, and all customers are always expected to attain consent.

I asked strippers what they wanted their customers to know regarding their boundaries and consent:

16 Recommendations • The law and club rules should center on consent, emphasizing respecting individual dancer’s boundaries • Of course, this is not possible unless sex work is decriminalized…

To conclude, I want to recall the Sex Work Debate from earlier. Because the law and club rules have the greatest impact on customer behavior, it is important that they promote and enforce individual dancer’s boundaries. This requires change, which is not possible under criminalization. I want to end with this anecdote, from my research: Charity is a stripper. One night, she gave a customer a lap and he pulled his penis out of his jeans and rubbed it against her, without her consent. She was horrified and ran to tell the bouncer. The customer was kicked out. Charity left early, visibly upset. As he was escorting her out, the manager reminds her that she can’t press charges against the customer because she will get in trouble for , nothing will happen to him. Charity knows he’s right. When sex work is decriminalized, sex workers will be protected by the same laws that protect all workers from harassment and all people from assault. Finally, I encourage you to advocate for the decriminalization of sex work.

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