Acceptance of stripping in the USA

[The Larch]

The mention in Caliga's AAR to roadside strip clubs with "college nights" decided me to create this thread, as it was something that had crossed my mind a couple of times.

So, my (admitedly incomplete) perception through anecdotes and the media is that strip/gentlemen clubs are way more accepted and/or legit in the States than anywhere else. Over here they're invariably seedy, but in the US you have the "co-ed paying her way through college" trope, for instance, and they're featured in mainstream media with normal middle-class people attending.

Is this perception correct? How frequented are they by forum members?

[Maximus]

In my somewhat limited experiences they are less accepted in the US than in Canada(Vegas excepted). Some places here they aren't allowed to actually strip.

[Josephus]

I believe in some States you can't mix alcohol with full nudity. So typically strippers were g-strings so the patrons can drink. But otherwise there's nothing illegitimate about them, I don't think.

[The Larch]

In my somewhat limited experiences they are less accepted in the US than in Canada(Vegas excepted). Some places here they aren't allowed to actually strip.

Ok, feel free to lump Canada with the USA for poll purposes.

[Grey Fox]

I live in suburban hell of Montreal. I can walk to 4 strip club.

[katmai]

Way more accepted?

Not really in my experience at least not in regards of the women who work there and how they are viewed.

[The Larch]

Way more accepted?

Not really in my experience at least not in regards of the women who work there and how they are viewed.

But what about the patrons? Is it entertainment for lowlife scum or acceptable for middle class peeps?

[CountDeMoney]

I believe in some States you can't mix alcohol with full nudity. So typically strippers were g-strings so the patrons can drink. But otherwise there's nothing illegitimate about them, I don't think.

You're right;  for instance, in Ohio IIRC, they're juice bars.  No alcohol permitted.  But I'm not sure if that's a county-by-county thing, Monkey Anger can answer that.

Some ordinances vary from jurisdiction regarding the type of nudity permitted;  for instance, Baltimore City allows nipplage, but not Baltimore County.

And some jurisdictions don't allow women to enter as patrons, period.

[Josephus]

I don't think it's lowlife scum entertainment at all. Some of these clubs can be quite pricey. At least that's what GF tells me.

[CountDeMoney]

Is this perception correct? How frequented are they by forum members?

I can safely say that I frequented them substantially more as adjunct to my duties than as a patron.

[katmai]

Well use to be part of Saturday night routine with my buddies back in San Diego, go to baseball game, then a bar and then end the night at Strip club...


I'll let you decide if I'm lowlife scum or middle class Larchie

[stjaba]

The mention in Caliga's AAR to roadside strip clubs with "college nights" decided me to create this thread, as it was something that had crossed my mind a couple of times.

So, my (admitedly incomplete) perception through anecdotes and the media is that strip/gentlemen clubs are way more accepted and/or legit in the States than anywhere else.

Are you sure about that? I spent a week in Marbella in the summer of 2009. I noticed at least one or two "Lap Dance Clubs" (I think is what they were called). They were in a nice touristy part of town and obviously catered to the British tourists. Anyways, the strip clubs actually looked nicer(at least from the outside) than the strip clubs in Florida.

Anyways, in the US, I think attitudes vary by region. In Florida, they are quite prevalent. Tampa is particularly well known for having a lot of strip clubs. There's a six foot rule in Tampa(i.e. can't get within six feet of a nude stripper) that is universally ignored.

I think the general attitude is that strips clubs are low class(from both a customer and employee standpoint), but obviously they are well patronized regardless, including by plenty of middle class and wealthy people. Also, obviously, there are a range of establishments from high end to low end. In the low end places it is not uncommon to be able to have sex in a back room. This is true for Asian massage parlors, spas, or lingerie modelling studios etc. also.


Edit:

One last point- there was a story in Tampa Bay Times recently about the local strip clubs remodeling, bringing in out of town strippers, etc. for the Republican National Convention in late August. They've had to bring in out of town strippers in the past when the Super Bowl was in town too. So, obviously there's plenty of wealthy patronage of strip clubs.

[katmai]

Some ordinances vary from jurisdiction regarding the type of nudity permitted;  for instance, Baltimore City allows nipplage, but not Baltimore County.

And some jurisdictions don't allow women to enter as patrons, period.

Yeah what is allowed varies greatly just by the jurisdiction as Seedy says.

San Diego if they served Alcohol was just topless club. Here in Alaska anything goes. It's actually a ritual to go with crewmembers on shoots to ABC while they are up here, both the guys and girls.

[The Larch]

The mention in Caliga's AAR to roadside strip clubs with "college nights" decided me to create this thread, as it was something that had crossed my mind a couple of times.

So, my (admitedly incomplete) perception through anecdotes and the media is that strip/gentlemen clubs are way more accepted and/or legit in the States than anywhere else.

Are you sure about that? I spent a week in Marbella in the summer of 2009. I noticed at least one or two "Lap Dance Clubs" (I think is what they were called). They were in a nice touristy part of town and obviously catered to the British tourists. Anyways, the strip clubs actually looked nicer(at least from the outside) than the strip clubs in Florida.

Anyways, in the US, I think attitudes vary by region. In Florida, they are quite prevalent. Tampa is particularly well known for having a lot of strip clubs. There's a six foot rule in Tampa(i.e. can't get within six feet of a nude stripper) that is universally ignored.

I think the general attitude is that strips clubs are low class(from both a customer and employee standpoint), but obviously they are well patronized regardless, including by plenty of middle class and wealthy people. Also, obviously, there are a range of establishments from high end to low end. In the low end places it is not uncommon to be able to have sex in a back room. This is true for Asian massage parlors, spas, or lingerie modelling studios etc. also.

Well, I've rarely seen them over here, and the few ones that I saw were absolutely seedy places where you would most probably be beaten up by Russian mobsters or something like that. Never been to Marbella, though.

And I'm not even entering in Hooters style titty bars territory.

[katmai]

Actually Larchie another thing from personal observations, the cities I've lived in with larger Military presences (San Diego, Anchorage) they clubs were more accepted than Seattle or Philly. Just something I've noticed.