Exotic Dancing

Abstract

This chapter examines the operation of gender, class and gender capital in the occupation of exotic dancing. As I argued in Chapter 3, exotic dancing is situated in an interesting place in the workforce; exotic dancing is sex work, and was sometimes described by the dancers I interviewed as sex work, however, it is also service work or part of ‘the desire industries’ (Brooks, 2010: 6) as it operates ‘on ideas of desire and attractiveness’ and so has commonalities with retail and fashion work. Exotic dancing is also highly feminised; women tend to work in this industry while men consume its products. For this reason male stripping is a niche market and no male dancers were available to interview for this chapter.