First we have to understand our privilege as pole dance coaches and students and honor the roots of pole dancing through community education, especially bringing attention to the Black Strippers and sex workers who are erased most from its history.
Most of our community is made of people who are not in the sex work industry, so it is important to make pole dancers aware of the way they conduct themselves. It is never OK to cosplay strippers. Examples of this may be using a money gun during a performance, or a non-stripper offering a lap dance class. Recognizing your privilege and confronting any whoreaphobia you may have allows you to use your position as a pole dancer to advocate and fight for others who are facing systemic challenges and oppression, like those in the sex worker industry.
Having a private pole dancing social media account is also a privilege. Some can hide from discrimination of others but sex workers face it constantly just trying to be themselves. There needs to be a future where sex workers can feel safe in all the spaces they exist.
Consider the terms you use when talking about sex workers, and know the difference between sex work and sex trafficking. Don’t make jokes about sex work and call out those who need to be educated.
Make sure you also listen. Follow Black, Disabled, Large Bodied, POC, Queer, & Trans Pole Dancers & Sex Workers on social media.
Give back to sex workers when you can, either through charities, visiting strip clubs and tipping generously, taking Classes from strippers (they have online classes too!). You can volunteer to help at strip club events, and if you have gently used shoes & stripper clothes you can donate them.
If you have any other ways we can be allies to sex workers, let us know! We are so grateful you took the time out to learn a bit about the history of the amazing art you will be learning here at Pole in the Wall!
