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Women turn to pole dancing due to rising gas & food prices, other expenses
wafb.com ^ | 07/16/08 | Keitha Nelson

Posted on 07/16/2008 5:14:26 PM PDT by TornadoAlley3

ToughTimes, Tough Decisions (MATURE CONTENT)

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - During these tough economic times, many people are struggling to make ends meet. The city's housing market is in a slump, gas and food prices are rising, and some say it's either sink or swim. Now, some women are going to great lengths to make some extra cash right in Baton Rouge.

It's a fantasy, an escape for some attempting to close off the outside world. However, for the women inside who are barely clothed and strapped into high heels, exotic dancing can be a way to survive. "All of my bills were getting to be too much, especially when gas started going up," says one woman, who'll be referred to as Amber throughout the report to protect her identity.

With the average price of gasoline in these parts at an all-time high of $4.00 per gallon, and food costs rising, some women are entering the world of adult entertainment. This world of quick cash is nothing new to Amber. She stripped for three years in local clubs, but took a break after finding out she was pregnant. She then got back into the profession shortly after gas prices started rising and feeding her child got difficult. "Honestly, there are some days where I just don't eat because I can't afford to go buy food. Especially when it comes to diapers or milk, oh my God."

Amber says she's heard stories of men attempting to rape dancers in the VIP room of some clubs and women being drugged. She admits that climbing the stripper poles can be rough, but in these trying times, some women feel that for them, exotic dancing is the way to go. "It's harder. Someone looking up to you. But you know you're doing it for a better cause."

Amber says she is currently in school. She says she knows quite a few women who have recently turned to exotic dancing in order to either pay their bills, get through school, or take care of their children.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: Louisiana
KEYWORDS: food; gas; poledancing; prices
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To: Robwin

Excellent point!


21 posted on 07/16/2008 5:51:03 PM PDT by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
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To: Colorado Doug

North or South?


22 posted on 07/16/2008 5:51:52 PM PDT by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
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To: gathersnomoss

Its strange how rap music on the radio get paid for saying it. Whitey can’t even say black hole without an... Excuse Me?


23 posted on 07/16/2008 5:52:32 PM PDT by Orange1998
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To: Colorado Doug

I hear its good exercise.


24 posted on 07/16/2008 5:53:30 PM PDT by Orange1998
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To: TornadoAlley3
Cool!

Capitalism Rocks!

25 posted on 07/16/2008 5:53:54 PM PDT by humblegunner
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To: Chode

It is short of prostitution, but the studies are in. Increasing prostitution is a sign of a failing economy. Where men can’t be sufficient providers, more women turn to stuff like this. It’s not a good sign.


26 posted on 07/16/2008 5:54:02 PM PDT by bioqubit
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To: Chode

It is short of prostitution, but the studies are in. Increasing prostitution is a sign of a failing economy. Where men can’t be sufficient providers, more women turn to stuff like this. It’s not a good sign.


27 posted on 07/16/2008 5:55:00 PM PDT by bioqubit
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To: Grizzled Bear

Well, I’ve gone a little south since I hit 50 so I guess south pole it is. I’d rather dance with Penguins than Polar Bears anyway. Now how is it I get paid all that money for this again? I missed that part.


28 posted on 07/16/2008 5:55:45 PM PDT by Colorado Doug (Now I know how the Indians felt to be sold out for a few beads and trinkets)
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To: oneamericanvoice

The lady in the article is working on her PhD. She’s probably done the math. She can make over 1K/week in tips stripping, and probably not near that in an entry-level waitress job. She’s old enough to make the choice for herself, and knows what the job entails. What’s the big problem? No one’s coercing her.

And, on the post further down, about where’s the money coming from for the dollar bills in her garter? Same place cigarette money/beer money/lotto money comes from, even in tough times. Jobs like this will be around as long as the men with the dollars are.


29 posted on 07/16/2008 5:56:12 PM PDT by mavfin (Personal freedom, personal responsibility)
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To: TornadoAlley3
Sometimes women and poles don't mix.


30 posted on 07/16/2008 5:57:17 PM PDT by CodeToad
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To: bioqubit
BS... where do the men paying them get the money from???

there's plenty of work, it just doesn't pay as well for so little output.

31 posted on 07/16/2008 6:04:42 PM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist ©®-CTHULHU/NYARLATHOTEP'08=Nothing LESS!!!)
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To: TornadoAlley3

This thread needs more pictures.


32 posted on 07/16/2008 6:05:13 PM PDT by advance_copy (Stand for life or nothing at all)
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To: advance_copy
This thread needs more pictures.

Photobucket

33 posted on 07/16/2008 6:15:04 PM PDT by rfp1234 (Phodopus campbelli: household ruler since July 2007.)
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To: TornadoAlley3
I dated an "exotic dancer" for about 12 years. She helped me write master's level thesis (what is that plural?) for crumb-bums at UTA (She did a bunch of the research out of my library). We had a market, we did what was required.

We got by. All our kids lived. (Hers OR mine, not hers AND mine, no offspring there in the AND column).

/johnny

34 posted on 07/16/2008 6:23:58 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Bless us all, each, and every one.)
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To: Liberty 275

Here in Dallas I swear every “dancer” says she’s a student at UT Arlington. I am going to have to start taking some classes.


35 posted on 07/16/2008 6:24:28 PM PDT by SlapHappyPappy
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To: bioqubit

You sure it isn’t a sign of men with more disposable income?


36 posted on 07/16/2008 6:25:39 PM PDT by Eagle Eye (I'm a RINO cuz I'm too conservative to be a Republican. McCain is the Conservatives true litmus test)
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To: bioqubit
Increasing prostitution is a sign of a failing economy.

I'm not sure, but I believe the "vice" economy is a constant. In other words, vodka moves off the shelves in good times and bad. Prostitution would be similar, wouldn't it? I certainly wouldn't think it would increase. The increased embedded risk for the purchaser (scarcer dollars plus the omnipresent opportunity for criminal conviction) would lead me to believe it would decline, if anything.

37 posted on 07/16/2008 6:26:02 PM PDT by Mr. Bird
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To: TornadoAlley3; Bender2; Lil'freeper

38 posted on 07/16/2008 6:27:44 PM PDT by big'ol_freeper ("Preach the Gospel always, and when necessary use words". ~ St. Francis of Assisi)
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To: mavfin

Agree, but the angle of the article IMO is she is so desperate she had to do this to make ends meet. Perhaps I read it wrong.

I don’t think economy is so bad that women have to strip to get by, forced into it. If she chooses, so be it, but I am sick of the media telling us how bad off everyone is.

I am still trying to find someone I know who has lost their home in the mortgage crisis, yet to find anyone who has.


39 posted on 07/16/2008 6:29:01 PM PDT by TornadoAlley3 ('GOP' : Get Our Petroleum)
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To: SlapHappyPappy
The smart ones have noticed that the richest men in America don't have college degrees, and 'exploited' those that did.

Find a market, feed the need. Count the cash.

/johnny

40 posted on 07/16/2008 6:30:08 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Bless us all, each, and every one.)
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