I think its time for another testimony from a dancer in Portsmouth. As before I am keeping the contribution anonymous and as before, what we see is someone that simply wishes to survive.
I have now been a lap dancer for coming up four years, and I can confidently say that in that time it has changed me into a more relaxed and confident person. I have tried a variety of jobs prior to dancing, including office work, retail and sales, bar supervision, none of which I ever felt happy and suited to, hence why I was forever looking to change jobs.
When I decided to becomes lap dancer it was days after I started my first shift that I began to feel more at home. Within a few weeks I'd noticed a massive change in my life, I was earning good money, my confidence had boosted, I had more self esteem, I'd made great friends and I didn't come home feeling stressed and pressurised like I did in my previous jobs, as for the first time I could finally work at my own pace.
People make a lot of bad assumptions of what lap dancing clubs are like, but as a dancer myself I can assure you that none of it is true. It is 100 per cent safe, clean, security is high and we never experience the fights, violence and drug use that happens on a daily basis in a typical night club. It's simply a place where a man or women or group of people will go to escape the stress of everyday life in a chilled out and friendly environment.
If the council decide to shut us down, it will put hundreds of girls that have worked hard to support their life out of a job, we will probably have to resort to job seekers allowance as employment will not fall at into our hands for some time, which in theory will cost our country more money.
In the time I have been a lap dancer, I have earned money which I've adapted my lifestyle to. I can finally pay for bills without a struggle, I can finally run a car that doesn't break down every week and can finally put some money into a savings account so in the future I have enough to support my children and put a deposit on a mortgage, rather than living off benefits as most 9-5 jobs only pay a basic wage.
Since having this job I have cleared my debts, not behind on any payments and not ended up in debt. As I did with my previous jobs as it simply wasn't enough money. Us women are NOT being exploited at our work place, we do this job out of choice.
We have the option to stay or go. I am the kind of person that will just hand in my notice if I'm not happy somewhere, no questions asked. But seeing as I've now been a self employed dancer for four years that must be telling the public something. I am happy and I'd live to continue this job. Please think about how many unemployed people there will be of you choose to shut us down.
The writer makes a very good point when she talks about the people making bad assumptions about clubs. Bad assumptions or value judgements are the curse of humanity, our predisposition toward judging those that we decide are in some ways different has caused misery, pain and anguish throughout history. Maybe I am being naive, but I really thought that in this apparently enlightened age we had moved forward and could find it in our hearts to accept and tolerate people that are different.
Maybe I am wrong, but I believe that there are enough people in the world that are happy to think for themselves and do the right thing...
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