J-Lo on a stripper pole. Oh my!
I am tremendously supportive of women using their sexuality to express themselves. I am supportive of women taking pole classes, for what ever reason they want to take those classes. I am supportive of dancing around naked, if that's what you want to do.
What I am not supportive of, though, is the exploitation of strippers.
I was asked to audition for Hustlers, and I immediately declined. I was extremely perturbed that of all the incredible stories strippers have to tell, J-Lo decided to use her money and fame to exemplify an incident where strippers drugged and stole from customers. I declined to be a part of that film because that behavior is detestable to me. I never lie or steal, and would definitely never drug or hurt a customer (who did not attempt to hurt me).
I'm at a turning point in my life. Moving into the next phase of my ever evolving self, I want to help girls who fall victim to prostitution. I want to become a motivational speaker, and am planning to go on my first mission trip overseas in April. This idea has kind of been evolving for some time. A couple of months ago I approached the owner of a pole dancing school, where I used to take lessons. I suggested I teach a class where I teach girls to be strippers. It would partially teach pole dancing, but more importantly, it would teach girls how to talk to customers, how to maximize profits, how to stay safe, what to watch out for, and to NOT prostitute themselves. The owner of the pole school's response was "Oh, no! The customers at my school can't be associated with strippers." From her perspective, the women taking her pole dancing classes where not "low" like strippers. No! They were artists! The entire conversation was hypocritical. But I am so used to being harshly judged that I didn't even blink. Honestly, it's her loss.
Much to my dismay, she apparently supplied the poles that were used for the Super Bowl. She supplied them to a woman who made a movie about strippers, and who profited off the backs of strippers. But she could never consider working with a stripper.
There is so much ugliness in the world. So many people judge strippers so harshly, but have no problem taking from them, abusing them, choosing not to listen to them, and refusing to protect them. I know so many strippers who are such wonderful people. The strongest, bravest, smartest women in the world (I genuinely believe) are strippers.
To all the strippers reading this, our time is coming. I am proud of you, proud to be one of you, and love you very much.
Back to my original thought on the subject. J-Lo on a stripper pole. It was SO BAD! If you are a professional at anything, and you go to see a movie about it, you will pick it apart. Doctors do it when they watch ER shows. People who drum did it when they watched Drumline. So, now I'm going to do it.
This has nothing to do with what J-Lo wore. It has nothing to do with her shaking her ass. I thought all of that was fine.
It has everything to do with her struggle to climb the pole. What material was her body suit made of? It obviously wasn't a material what would help her on the pole. Did someone forget to grip the pole? What brand of pole grip did she use? It obviously wasn't working. She looked like what baby strippers look like on amateur night. I was mortified that she was unable to hold herself in a basic sitting position on the pole. She had background dancers literally squatting under her, holding her up.
I guess the reason this is making me so annoyed is because the pole was just a prop for her to further market her shitty movie. She had no interest in actually learning the art of stripping. She had no interest in actually hearing the stories of strippers. It seemed to me like she was just another PIMP exploiting MY SISTERS. I do NOT think that's okay, or cute, or condonable.
Thats all I have to say for now. I have to get back to work.
