Episode 21 Cat Hollis
In this episode of YAS Podcast, AM Davies (they/them) speaks with Cat Hollis (they/them), a Portland-based stripper and lead organizer of the ongoing PDX Stripper Strike. Calling in from a safe house after being doxed and threatened, Cat shares firsthand insight into the movement demanding racial equity and anti-discrimination enforcement within strip clubs.
The strike was catalyzed after a Portland club publicly displayed “Black Lives Matter” signage despite long-standing allegations of refusing to hire Black dancers. When dancers questioned the hypocrisy, the conversation expanded into a broader call for accountability. White dancers stood in solidarity, initiating a general strike and refusing to work at clubs that exclude Black performers. What began as a local action has since grown across multiple states, with dozens of clubs and businesses committing to policy review and cultural sensitivity training.
Cat explains that the movement is intentionally centered on civil rights law rather than employee classification debates. By framing demands around federally protected anti-discrimination standards, dancers are leveraging existing legal frameworks to challenge exclusionary hiring practices and unsafe working conditions. Cat highlights how the industry has historically relied on isolating workers, making collective action difficult, and how this moment of solidarity has shifted that dynamic.
Despite facing harassment and safety risks, Cat emphasizes that the movement is larger than any one person. The strike represents a broader push for systemic reform, transparency in anti-discrimination policies, and lasting protections for marginalized dancers within the adult industry.
Read the full transcript