So what’s a…person who dances and takes off her clothes to do? Besides admitting that the words basically mean the same thing, and it is just connotations that vary. And I must admit - not all strippers dance. An Exotic Dancer.Īnd yet…Go-Go dancers are technically exotic dancers, but they DO NOT strip (ask them). I am not a stripper, they protest, I am an entertainer. While I prefer to call a spade a spade, I have met strippers who are genuinely offended to be placed in the same category as the low-paid, classless, and deeply stupid characters that parade around in pasties on television screens, who need saving in big-budget movies. The word “stripper” is considered dirty, titillating, or uncouth. The same questioned applies to what exotic dancers/strippers/ecdysiasts choose to call themselves. But when you live in a city like Denver, and you threaten to quit over a few low nights, you have to ask yourself, exactly what are you trying to prove? And to whom? Yes, an exotic dancer would expect to make more money in Manhattan - where a studio apartment often costs $2,000, if not much more - than in Denver, where you can find a one-bedroom in a high-rise for $900. Hence, why a dancer would quit after one bad (i.e., <$400.00) night.
The almighty dollar breaks down stigma and taboo - for some unfortunate souls, it defines their self-worth. A large sum of money can turn what many would consider an immoral and degrading profession into a practical one. Strippers take pride in how much money can you earn from stripping. There are also some exotic dancers who would beg for an opportunity to make $300 per eight-hour shift. There are some exotic dancers who would never return to a club if they could not make at least $500 per four-hour shift. A four day per week, six-hour shift is the standard: acceptable, if draining. The truth about stripping is an average of $400 per night is an acceptable number for many exotic dancers. I would earn $76,800 dollars a year - before taxes - if I worked for six hours a day, four days out of the week, and averaged $400 each night. To put all the clichés and myths to rest, to let you hear it from the horse’s mouth - or the stripper’s tax return - let’s throw numbers around about what a stripper salary looks like. I realized that if I accepted the offer, I would risk my financial security and independence.
Then, I turned 20, and was offered an unpaid internship with the Colorado Department of Education. At age 19, I started my undergrad at the University of Colorado, and found it difficult to balance working even just twelve hours a week and maintain decent grades. I worked 60 hours a week, and saved most of what I earned. I had earned acceptance into City Year, packed my belongings, and moved to Denver. You see, when I turned 18, I became financially stable. Why become a stripper? An easy answer is: Money.
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