YAS Podcast: Strippers Voices Part II Episode #13 Transcript
Part two of strippers calling in: In one day we had 12 strippers total call in to the show. We wanted to hear about what’s happening in their world before and after Covid-19. In general, it’s imperative that the voices of strippers and sex worker are heard. 11 calls, 12 strippers, from all over America, Canada and the UK. Guests in order of call in:
*This transcript was auto-generated and may contain minor errors.* Begin transcript after opening credits.
In one day we had 12 strippers total call in to the show. We wanted to hear about what’s happening in their world before and after Covid-19. In general, it’s imperative that the voices of strippers and sex worker are heard. 11 calls, 12 strippers, from all over America, Canada and the UK. Guests in order of call in: Ivy Mickey Megan Isis Nikki Victoria Listen as you read.
AMD: This is part two of a call in podcast, a very special podcast that we had where strippers from all over the world called in to tell us about their working conditions pre and post coronavirus. It was such an epic day of calls. However, there were so many calls, um, and there was so much good information that we gathered from these workers that we had to split this episode into two parts. So enjoy these last six callers, part two of Stripper Call Ins on Yes, a Stripper Podcast.
AMD: Hi, and welcome to this call. This is. a podcast specifically for strippers to have their voices be heard. And we have callers from all over the world today. And our first caller with us goes by Ivy. Ivy, how long have you been stripping for? How long have you been a stripper?
Ivy: Um, I started when I was 19 and I’m turning 30 in September.
AMD: Wow, great.
Ivy: Yeah, all over the world. Um, I’ve danced all over the world, uh, actually apart from, I haven’t danced in America. I’m not allowed in America. Let’s not talk about that. But, uh, yeah, um, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, uh, Spain.
AMD: Amazing.
Ivy: Austria. A little Europe, yeah.
AMD: Where are you calling from today?
Ivy: Calling from London, UK.
AMD: Lovely. Wow. So, we, you know, one of the things that we want to find out is what was going on in the industry? Like, what were you seeing before COVID, like leading up to this pandemic? What was, what is the Strip Club vibe,iindustry vibe going on where you’re at currently.
Ivy: Okay, so I actually don’t currently, well I don’t think anyone does currently, but I, before the pandemic, I wasn’t dancing. I danced, the last time I danced was in the run up towards Christmas. I got frustrated with, uh, the amount of money that I ended up having to give the club. I don’t like giving other people money and just the way that we’re being treated. Um, we were in stages of unionizing and it just kind of- I felt like basically I went back to this particular club as a kind of mole um and start unionizing process, um, because I do full serVice now and other things so um, like stripping isn’t my main form of Income. And I just kind of went in there as a mold, but you know, nothing really changes. You think that it’s going to pick up, it’s going to pick up. And you think that the Christmas period is, it’s like, oh, it’s going to get busy, but it kind of just never picked up. I don’t think the last two years it never really picked up. Less people are going to the um, more people are, uh, like they have less, um, uh, disposable income. Um, this is then getting pushed down the line. So the dancers are getting fined. The dancers are getting, um, the house fees are going up. We’re having to tip out and stuff. And it’s like, we’re, we’re, um, a form of income for the club. And that’s not like that. We’re the only industry that I can think of where the workers, the employees, if we can be called employees, like we, we’re keeping the- they say we’re keeping the business afloat, but that’s not true. Like if you took us away, obviously there would be no business. There’s bars, there’s clubs where there aren’t dancers. People still go to them. Like people still want to spend their money and go out and have fun. Like, yeah, I don’t know. It’s just really annoying because they say that, Oh yeah, the rent’s going up in London. Obviously the economy is going shit. People have less money to spend and it is getting worse. But I think for them to, Put more girls on so we’re covering their rent like they say and then we’re all like fighting against each other It’s just like it’s just disgusting. Imagine if there were no house fees, and there were only so many girls on, and we all made like, shitload of money, like, because there was, uh, because there were less girls competing for it, there’ll be a better run club, but they just don’t think like that.
AMD: Right, so, do you think that people aren’t- because what, I see in America is the money that they spend on advertising has changed or gone down. They, they don’t advertise and they, they rely on the dancers and on social media solely where sex workers are continuously banned and, and sex worker accounts, which would be a strip club account, are, are shadow banned a lot, not very visible. So like, are you seeing like maybe they’re not initiating enough people to come into the clubs to make it like, cause you said they’re spending money at bars and stuff.
Ivy: I have never worked at a club that has spent money on advertising to a point where like I noticed it. Um, so yeah, I’ve worked in many clubs where they say, oh yeah, you can, you got to go on promo. So like each girl’s got to go on promo tonight, like walk around the town, hand out flyers, flirt with people. This is like, maybe we get for that, like a drink and I’m sober, like I don’t, I don’t want to drink. So we have to do it regardless. And what if like you’re a, you don’t want to out yourself as a dancer for whatever reason, like they still make you and otherwise you get like penalized for it. Um, yeah, I think, I think that’s really with the online thing. They do, there’s, there’s this like weird, weird rule or like loophole where we’re not allowed to take customers, um, phone numbers, yet we’re expected to text our clients to come in or regulars to come in. Do you know what I mean? It’s like, It’s just work so they could always always fire you or always like firing you for something like having your phone out But oh, but i’m texting regular. Oh, but you shouldn’t give them the number Oh, why are there no customers girls text your text your regulars? I mean, it’s just like
AMD: oh wow god, that’s so Confusing it’s like they do that.
Ivy: It’s very confusing. It’s just like to keep to keep the rules like not concrete and It just keeps you like on your toes and like them in charge. So they can just throw around any, um, any fines at any point. And they’re always like, right.
AMD: Yeah. Wow. So do you know anything about how any dancers were supported either by the government or by their employer after the closures due to COVID 19?
Ivy: So in the UK, it’s, uh, different to America. We’re very lucky. We didn’t have to, um, tick a box saying that we were sex workers. Um, it, we, we get government support if we need it. So if you don’t have any savings, if you don’t have any assets, um, and you need the support of the government, we’re very, very blessed that we, we do have access to that. Um, if we are, uh, if we have, um, uh, residential immigrant, um, immigration status. If we don’t, then, We’re pretty much fucked. Sorry.
AMD: So if you’re not, um, an English citizen, then you’re fucked….
Ivy: If you don’t have, um, secure immigration status, then, then you don’t have the support of the, um, the, the government, basically you have to have like a passport or a visa or something like that.
AMD: So have you found like, do, do most of the strippers where you’re at right now feel supported? Due to that. I mean, that’s really nice that the government is…
Ivy: I mean, we are, we’re so much, we’re so much better position than you guys. Definitely. Obviously, um, the amount of money we get is dependent on who lives in our house, like where we are. So in London, you get a little bit more, I think, um, outside a little bit less, uh, if you have a child, if, um, how much your rent is, um, all of these kinds of things. So there are lots of- yeah, but I mean, it’s generally like our welfare system, um, I mean, like, it, it’s, I can’t speak for everyone, and I know there are lots of sex workers that, um, like, find it really difficult to get their allowance, or their, their disability isn’t recognised for whatever reason, which is really fucking shit. But I mean, um, I, I had to go on, um, benefits like a couple years ago, and I, for me personally, I had, I had no problem, but now there’s other ways in which, uh, sex workers, my, my circle, anyways, the people that I know have been going online to make money. Um, and obviously we all pay taxes, wink, wink. So, uh, so yeah, um, girls have been going on to like OnlyFans and things like that to make some extra income.
AMD: Yeah, and I’m like learning new things about OnlyFans. I’m about to kind of dive into that and learn more. But I was on OnlyFans for a minute and then I don’t mess with that site anymore. I find it to be exploited and um, I want to be more in control of my content. I don’t want a third party platform like when my fucking vagina is out, you know?
Ivy: Of course.
AMD: So, yeah, um. Wow.
Ivy: Do you have any other, any other sites? I actually went to a workshop yesterday. Um, I went, I was, I was in a Zoom workshop yesterday. Yeah. It was, uh, run by Umbrella Lane, a great, um, organization supporting sex workers. And, uh, it was an introduction to online sex work. It was really, really good. It was like, cause I’m basically a beginner. Like I’m an in person sex worker. And being forced like online when I’ve always said, no, I don’t ever want to do online because I’m not in control of who can see me. And I like to have that, like that face to face, like I can read the client and like, are they enjoying it? I need that validation girl, you know? So it was really interesting. And so also some of my friends who have done it. Um, they’ve, they’ve complained that their mental health has gone down because they’re constantly, like, looking at pictures of themselves. They’re like, oh, is this good enough? Like, could I have changed this? Have I edited enough? Like, and just looking at your every flaw that you might even have and things that you haven’t even noticed before. It’s just like, oh, it’s just, it’s really frustrating just being left with yourself.
AMD: Yeah. I hear that. It’s just like hitting me like how hard it is to be, to represent yourself as an expressed woman and to maintain self confidence on a regular basis because you’re doing exactly what you said. However, like literally society and everything we do thrives off of the female image and we’re like killing ourselves to be up to these standards- every now and then I have this thought and I always and I talk about it and it gets me every time.
Ivy: It’s really, it’s really tough out there. And yeah, I mean, I’ve, I’ve not dived into much online stuff. I’ve been nerding out and like making a website so that it’s kind of like for everything that I do so that it’s ready when I can do like in face work again, but I mean, yeah, it’s scary like having the idea of like launching only fans and your content and like, Oh God, it’s like, are people going to like it? Is it good enough? Like do you know what I mean? Cause normally like you go, you go to the club, you go to do a job, whatever, and then you come home and you’re like, all right, that’s cool. I have a shower, wash the club off me. And it’s like, cool. I’m not me. I’m not Ivy anymore. Like I’m done. Like I’m done with that. But if you’re just in your house doing like content all the time and constantly on social media, promoting your brand, it’s like, when do you have to turn off? When you have time for yourself?
AMD: Yeah, well, listen, um, our next caller is just about to join us. Brilliant.
Ivy: Thank you so much for having me. So have a great day. Bye bye.
AMD: All right, MickeyThank you so much for joining us. Um, we, our audience would love to know where you’re calling from today.
Mickey: I’m currently in Indianapolis.
AMD: And how long have you been a stripper for?
Mickey: I’ve been a dancer for the past four years.
AMD: Nice. Um, so we want to know, we want everyone to know, what was work like in the clubs for you before COVID 19? Like, were you treated well? Did you understand your rights as a worker? Were you making money? Was there customers coming in and out? Like, just general, how were you feeling? What were you experiencing in your world?
Mickey: Yeah, I mean clubs as far as money was good. I was dancing in San Francisco and um, you know, I could kind of get in the reputation. I was the number one show girl in SF. Uh, so it was good. Um, it took me a long time, but I had regular clients and yeah.
AMD: Okay. So were you dancing in Indianapolis as well, or just San Francisco?
Mickey: Um, I dance in both places. I’m from Indiana. So when COVID 19 started like really taking form, I came back over here just to get out of the city.
AMD: Right. And did you, do you feel a difference in your work environment between state to state? Like, are you treated differently in each state as far as like your, your worker’s rights or like how you, your relationships with your managers?
Mickey: I mean, yeah, the worker rights are different because in California, we’re all employees and here it’s independent contractor. So, um, that’s probably the biggest difference. Um, but as far as like, you know, club to club management is going to vary no matter what state you’re in. So, that’s true. That’s a good point. Yeah, I guess I was more of like wondering about different procedures in the clubs and because one of the things that we’re noticing even in California is that the procedures of how they’re paying their employees, paying their employees now, is um, that varies from like city to city. That there’s like a different system in place. Um, in each city. So I guess I was just wondering if there was a contrast or if you prefer one particular state over the other based on how they treat you guys.
Mickey: I mean, definitely San Francisco will always be my, um, you know, favorite. I worked at, you know, Condor club. That’s my like home club. Love that club. Love the managers and the way they treat us. Probably the best out of any other place I’ve ever worked.
AMD: Oh, great. Condor is called Condor club.
Mickey: Yeah. Oldest strip club in San Francisco.
AMD: Really? Oh, that’s really cool. That’s great to hear. So what, So what’s life been like for you and some of your other co workers after COVID 19? What, you know, were your employe(r)s- Did they help you or guide you or say anything?
Mickey: Um, you know, communication between the clubs has been very minimal. They kind of just sent out one general text message to everybody just being like, Hey, I like you could apply or you can apply for, um, you know,
AMD: Unemployment insurance.
Mickey: Yeah. Unemployment. And that was pretty much it.
AMD: So they did tell you that they encourage you to apply.
Mickey: Okay. And that’s it. Yeah, I think I didn’t really.
AMD: Like, what about when you guys closed, like when they shut things down, like, how did they handle that?
Mickey: Um, literally, I had to call and check to see if it, because I was, you know, still in, or I had just gotten in Indianapolis and the clubs were still open here. So, I literally, the day I heard it on the news, and I was scheduled to work that night, and I literally had to call and be like, hey, like, are we open? And then they were like, no.
AMD: Wow, really?
Mickey: They didn’t even know.
AMD: Yeah. Um, okay. I have another question for you. Did you get a stimulus check?
Mickey: Yeah
AMD: You did! Okay. Great, great. Okay, because I I received a question from somebody today Saying hey, do you know any strippers that got their stimulus check? I said honestly, I haven’t asked anybody Um, I haven’t um, but there are there’s also glitches in the system and she said oh because i’m hearing sex workers Aren’t getting their stimulus check and i’m like and i’m saying this because the audience needs to understand the media is continuously putting out misleading information about sex workers specifically. And, um, yeah. And so it’s a misconception. It’s misleading information. If you’re reading that in the media, that sex workers are not getting their stimulus checks, that’s not true. And I had a feeling that was true. So I’m really glad that you said yes. So thank you.
Mickey: Yeah, yeah. I got mine a couple weeks ago.
AMD: Tight! And does the IRS know that you’re a stripper or a sex worker?
Mickey: I mean Yeah, I mean, I don’t know because I think it has to do with, you know, your employer and how they- You know, because obviously, not every strip club, like, I’m under SAW Entertainment, so not everything is going to be like, Oh, that’s definitely like a strip club or whatever.
AMD: Yeah, I don’t think the IRS discriminates when it comes to that.
Mickey: I mean, I just don’t really think that there’s a good way for them to tell.
AMD: Yeah, I agree with you on that one. I do agree with you on that one. That is excellent news. I’m so glad. Um, yeah. Okay. Here’s
Mickey: my last question. How are you surviving? What are you doing to maintain your income during this time? Yeah, so maintaining the income has definitely been a struggle. I was fortunate enough, I did have ample saved up. Um, I was trying to buy a house this next year. So yeah, preparing for the down payment on that. So, um, I was lucky that in that sense, but you know, just only fans, sextpanther, camming, you know, all those different streams is Probably been what’s just keeping me, like, from, you know, losing money.
AMD: Yeah. Sex Panther is a new one. I haven’t heard of this one yet.
Mickey: Oh, this is probably one of my favorites. Because I am a great sexter.
AMD: Oh, interesting. I am not. I’m not a good sexter. I find it to be incredibly irritating because you have to think really hard about, like, you know?
Mickey: Yeah, I don’t know. I just remember, like, me as, like, you know, a younger adult always sexting boys, so.
AMD: Yeah, I mean, it’s fun. Don’t get me wrong, but it’s like doing it regularly. Like, well, I can’t say that because I just, I texted that like yesterday. So I have to like come up with new vernacular and some new ideas.
Mickey: I mean, you can like, you know, there’s some things you can do to automate it. You can always write, write out scripts on like the note app and then just like copy and paste and send out texts.
AMD: Oh, wow. Oh, wow. You’re like a professional. Like you could teach a sexting class. You could. That was really good. Noted. I will I will I’ll just make a button- like I’ll spend like an hour just sexting myself. Basically, I’m just like copy and paste. That’s so smart.
Mickey: There you go, but yeah, I like it. They pay per text message and they pay more if you send out photos and even more money if you choose to send videos. So it just another way to make money.
AMD: Well, that’s great. Well, you seem like you’re a survivor, an adapter, uh, and um, an ambitious go getter. I’m definitely getting that from you. So right on. Glad you’re doing okay out there.
Mickey: Thanks.
AMD: Thank you so much for calling in.
Mickey: Yeah, no worries.
AMD: I’ll be in touch. Okay. All right. All right. Bye. Bye.
AMD: Okay. So on the line now we have Megan calling in. Megan, can you let our audience know where you’re calling in from?
Megan: I’m calling in from Lansing, Michigan.
AMD: Lovely. Well, thank you so much, um, for being here. It’s really important that we’re hearing strippers voices from all over the country and even the world. Um, so what, we need to know, how long have you been a stripper for?
Megan: About three years.
AMD: Okay, great. Uh, and you’re, you were before COVID 19 dancing in Michigan, right?
Megan: Yes, I was in three different cities.
AMD: Three different cities in Michigan.
Megan: Yeah.
AMD: All kind of close to each other though, right?
Megan: Yeah, within about an hour to an hour and 20 minutes driving distance from where I am.
AMD: Okay, why three different clubs?
Megan: Um, well, actually things have started kind of slowing down since November. So it was kind of just like going around to different locations, um, according to different clients who would accommodate me, I guess.
AMD: Okay. So you live kind of in the middle of all those three?
Megan: Yeah, and I mean, I’ve danced in Lansing, um, and that’s where it kind of started getting slow at first, so I just branched out from there.
AMD: Huh, so actually that’s one of the questions that we need to know is, what was work like for you before COVID 19? So it sounds like work was slowing down in November. I mean, in my experience, November and December are excellent money months, especially December and especially the week between Christmas and New Year’s. What was that week like for you?
Megan: Um, I was actually out of town in California at that time. So, um, this last year I couldn’t tell you what it was like, what it would have been like for me. Um, I did talk to a couple other women that I work with and they said it wasn’t very exciting. So it was just kind of average according to how things had been in November too.
AMD: I mean, do you have any idea of what you think is leading to less people walking through the doors or less money circulating?
Megan: Um, based on what different people have told me, like, some people are getting a little bit worried because of political climate, so they’re not as interested in spending money and they want to save more. Um, I think there’s also just a lot of different, um, different types of sex work available to people now, so I think sometimes that can affect it depending on what people are looking for.
AMD: Yeah, like maybe stuff online is cheaper and more accessible to them.
Megan: Yeah.
AMD: Yeah, I’ve heard this argument before and I, I don’t know, maybe I’m an optimist, um, but I don’t want to believe that that’s the reason we’re making less money. I’ve always been a believer that, you know, being in person for the live event is much, much better than watching something online and that that will continue to be the case with other people. Um, but I don’t know if I’m just going like, la la, la, la, la
Megan: Yeah, it’s, it’s kind of hard to say, like, I don’t know either, because like there is that physical in person aspect that I feel like a lot of people look for and need, and like, yeah, it’s a different experience, so it’s kind of hard to really compare them. Yeah, like, I don’t know. It’s just, um, the main thing that I’ve heard from, like, actual customers and clients is that, um, they’re a little bit more interested in saving right now.
AMD: Yeah, I hear that. I mean, well, especially now. Um, so what, and so more before COVID, what was, what was it like working for your employer, your manager? You know, do you feel, did you feel supported by them? Um, educated? Do you know your rights as a worker, stuff like that.
Megan: So in two of the clubs that I’ve worked in, I would say definitely not. And that’s also part of why I branched out, um, to the third one. The third one, like, we didn’t really necessarily know very many of our rights. They weren’t really explicit about that, but they were definitely much more supportive, and like, they reach out and ask you questions, and like, Hey, are you doing okay? I haven’t heard from you in a while. You haven’t been by the club. Like that club, they also actually breathalyze us before we go home and make sure that we’re not, you know, being unsafe in that sense.
AMD: That’s nice. I mean, I’m, I’m really conflicted about how I feel about that. Like you’re adults, you know, um, I mean, I guess it’s helping everyone to be responsible and maybe they feel somewhat responsible, but yeah, I, I’m really going back and forth. I’m ping ponging in my head about how I feel about that one.
Megan: Yeah. It’s tough too, because like you said, we are adults. And it’s not that they breathalyze everyone, it’s just like, if someone seems like they might have an issue, they’ll, you know, kind of check and, say like, hey, just stick around for another hour. Eat some food.
AMD: Okay, so they’re not like-
Megan: Yeah, it’s not like a mandatory thing and it’s not everybody. It’s just like it’s just like when they notice that you had a little bit too much and you might not be in that position to make the right choice Now I feel good about it.
AMD: Thank you for clarifying. Yeah, sorry. Like, I literally had this, like, vision of all of you just standing in line with, like-
Megan: Oh God, no. Okay. No, no, nothing like that at all.
AMD: I’m so glad we cleared that up. That would have been totally weird. Um, so, okay. So, two clubs not so supportive. One is, I guess, and the reason I’m asking these questions is like when they, when your clubs closed due to COVID, um, how were you treated? How were you informed? Did they give you notice? Like what, what happened in your world regarding like information regarding COVID?
Megan: Yeah, so I was actually supposed to work the day that the governor here in Michigan shut everything down. So my manager reached out to me and he said, so we’re obviously closed. But here’s a Facebook group that we’re allowing you to be a part of, and we’ll keep you guys updated as things go through, and it’s also been kind of nice because everyone’s been supporting each other and like, communicating through there too, and like, you know, just kind of keeping everyone in the loop. I haven’t heard anything from the two other clubs, but they’re not like as important to me, I guess.
AMD: Right, but so they’re staying true to their pattern, which is like, they’re not really there for you. Yeah, pretty much. And do those two clubs charge house fees and take portions of your dance tips and mandatory tip out?
Megan: Yes, um, the first club I ever started working at, the one here in Lansing, they make you pay your, your house fee before you walk in the door. Tip out is mandatory. Um, even though, um, it’s technically not supposed to be. Cause on the other clubs that I work at, they say, you know, you don’t have to do it, but, like any serVice industry, it helps you with the DJs and stuff like that.
AMD: It doesn’t just help you, it protects you. If you don’t tip out, you have a world of shit on your hands at work. You have drama, you have to have conversations, you have to dodge people, you don’t get what you need, you don’t feel protected. Like, you know, they’ll tell you, oh, it’s not mandatory, but you better bet it fucking is, you know what I mean? That’s been my experience.
Megan: Yeah, no, that’s, that’s how it is. Like, I always tip out anyways, because, it’s like you said, it’s a safety thing and it helps you do your job better, too.
AMD: Yeah, I mean, how do you guys feel about- do you, do you have a sense of the overall vibe? Or if you can’t speak for others, how do you feel about paying your employer to work?
Megan: Um, I, I’m not a huge fan of like the house fee. In certain clubs anyways, like the first one because it was- We didn’t get what we paid for basically like we didn’t get heat in the dressing room a lot of the time we didn’t get fans or air conditioning on stage which like when you’re up there for 9 to 15 minutes. It’s rough But like at other clubs, they actually take care of- they actually took care of me and like made sure that You know, we had toilet paper, and like, heat, and you know, things like that.
AMD: Basic things that people need.
Megan: So I guess it’s just like, if I’m gonna pay someone something, I wanna get what I’m paying for. I don’t have a problem paying for it, you know?
AMD: Gotcha. I see. So in a way, you feel like if they were in serVice to you, paying a house fee is like kind of just a part of the game? That’s the way you see it? Yeah, I understand.
Megan: Especially because like I, I know that in other parts of the country, the club fee or like the house fee can be really high, like a hundred dollars or more. Um, here it’s pretty low, like 25 to 35 is pretty average. Yeah. Um, only one of the clubs I work that took about like 45 to 50 percent of your, um, dance fees. Um, the other ones were pretty good. So that, that was like my only issue with that because-
AMD: 45 to 50 percent of your dance fee is exorbitant. It’s a huge amount.
Megan: Yeah. It adds up really quick and it hurts at the end of the night. Oh, no kidding. No kidding. Um, so you said only one club after COVID was like filed for unemployment. What about like, did they reach out to you to tell you that they closed or did they just let you find out on your own? What was that communication like with all three?
Megan: Um, I, like I said, two of them, I haven’t heard anything from…
AMD: Anything?
Megan: Anything. And, uh, the other one, they reached out to me, so that was nice. And like, They want to open as soon as everything is over. So, sure.
AMD: And what did they say about, um, I guess the one that’s nice to you, uh, did they say that you guys have all your jobs back when they reopen?
Megan: Yeah.
AMD: Okay, great. Yeah. Um, and how are you surviving currently?
Megan: I’ve actually been working online, but then also I’ve had a few like regulars that have sent some money to just like help because they, they miss me and then like, you know, they want to make sure I can actually survive.
AMD: Regulars are so important and can be so wonderful to have. I’m glad that you have that support. Yeah, um, and then last question. Did you receive your stimulus check?
Megan: I have not and i’ve actually gone on like the website to see Um what I need to do to get it and they said I don’t remember exactly what the message was, but it was like they- “undetermined “or something like that for me so far and I filed taxes. So i’m a little frustrated.
AMD: Me, too Um, I also did not get mine. Um, and I just heard there’s a like a lot of glitches in the system Um, but we just talked to another stripper right before you who did get hers
Megan: Oh good!
AMD: Yeah, so it’s not a sex worker thing. It’s like a system thing. Yeah.
Megan: Oh, that’s good to hear I was worried that I would like- because I filed my taxes as a dancer and a student So I was like is one of those affecting the situation or-
AMD: I don’t think so. I really don’t. Yeah, I don’t think so Okay, great. Well, listen, this was awesome. Thank you so much.
Megan: Yeah. Thank you for having me
AMD: Yeah, of course. Thanks for coming on All right. Bye
AMD: Okay, everyone. We now have Isis on the line. Hi, Isis. Thank you for calling in.
Isis: Hi.
AMD: Hi. Isis, can you tell everyone where you’re calling from today?
Isis: I’m calling from St. Louis, Missouri.
AMD: Lovely. And do you work, do you, are you a stripper in St. Louis or are you just home for COVID?
Isis: I actually dance in Illinois because we’re sister states. Yeah. And Missouri has this weird jurisdiction thing where they’re like, uh, you can have women in bikinis and there could be liquor. So Illinois has a 24 hour liquor license and way more free. range of dance. So I just drive like eight minutes over to Illinois.
AMD: Oh, I see. So it’s like, you’re super close to the other state. Yes. Genius. Got it. Okay. Tight. Um, and how long have you been a stripper for?
Isis: This year is 15 years. Oh, great. We’ve got a veteran. Yes.
AMD: Yeah. Me too. 18 years. Nice. So, here’s what we want to know. We’re very curious about what work life was for you before COVID 19, like before things got weird. Like, um, you know, were you treated well? Were you making money? Um, do you understand your rights as a worker? You know, what’s the overall vibe you were experiencing before COVID 19?
Isis: Um, well, I work for a club that has numerous clubs around the country. So, um, I’ve gotten to work at a few of our clubs, but I am solely at our cabaret, which is like our mother club, one of our top clubs. And it’s always been, I love my, the people I work with. I absolutely do. If you ask any dancers, we all are like, it’s the guests sometimes that bother us, never each other, you know, like, Yeah. So we have a good, solid family. Um, it was a little up and down for the past few months, but, uh, it actually started picking up a little bit before it got to this point, but they were keeping us aware of what was going on and what measures they were taking. And they still are now, which is awesome that our club is keeping in contact with us and letting us know what’s going on. Yeah. So yeah, it, I really had a great time working there and like, this is probably my, this is my first time in 14 years that I’ve ever not worked. So it’s really weird for me. And then I’m also part of the pole community. So like my day would be two hours, three hours in the studio and then go straight to work. So I was used to that all week. And then it might pick up some extra shifts. So not having any work is kind of difficult for me.
AMD: Yeah. So that’s actually one of our questions. So since we’re there, we might as well talk about it. Like, how are you surviving without your work?
Isis: Having no income come in is very difficult, but, I’ve always been very aware of how I spend money and things like that. And I’m an extreme couponer, so stockpiling has always been my thing. I am teaching classes online. They are not consistent, but they work for now when I do get the classes. Waiting on unemployment because they have not released it for us yet. They’re still working on everyone else.
AMD: When you’re saying- what do you mean, any of the sex workers?
Isis: Any, well, they call them independent contractors. They are actually supposed to release funds for us, um, which our company did a great job of contacting the people that were wanting to, uh, uh, apply and then giving us spreadsheets of what we made and things of that nature because a lot of us didn’t get the chance to file taxes. So that would have kind of canceled us out, but they’ve given us a way to get around it. So now it’s just a waiting game.
AMD: So your employers helped you figure out how to get some benefits and your stimulus check.
Isis: Yes.
AMD: That is really nice to hear. Really nice. So did you guys, did a lot of you and your co workers end up filing for taxes?
Isis: I’m not really sure. Um, some, because some of my coworkers live in different states. And so if you live in Missouri, they just released it, I want to say like two days ago. And we’re still waiting in Illinois because, I file everything in Illinois.
AMD: Right. And so at your club where you are, you guys, so you are independent contractors. So I’m assuming that you’re also paying house fees and a portion of your dances and mandatory tip out. Right.
Isis: Mmhmm
AMD: And what is like the overall feeling when it, when you guys when it comes to that?
Isis: I kind of relate it to being a barber or a beautician where you’re renting out your booth. Because even though we don’t receive any funds back refund wise, um, writing those things off, do set you up for different things you want to do. If you want to go get a loan for a business or if you want to get a house. So being able to keep up with that kind of paperwork, you know, that’s what the taxes are basically for. But I’ve worked at other clubs where the house fee was ridiculous. And I think that, um, my club seems to be pretty reasonable when it comes to, um, the rent according to your schedule and things of that nature. So like, I’m okay with that fee.
AMD: Gotcha. Okay. So, um, Wow. Well, that actually answered a lot of my questions about like what happened after COVID and have they- have your employers told you that you’re going to have your jobs back when things are going back to normal? Are they going to reopen and have all you back?
Isis: Oh, absolutely. They’re just They said they’ve been deep cleaning, they always have someone there to, you know, make sure that the building’s well taken care of, and still trying to keep things as normal as possible. And still, as our governor changes the stay at home, they will text us and let us know, Hey, this is where we’re currently at. We can’t wait to see- we can’t wait to see you all because we have a very great solid group of girls. I don’t think any of us are not going to come back.
AMD: That’s great. That’s great. I’m glad to hear that. Well, um, you know, not everyone has that same level of support from their employers, which is why you know, we wanted to tell these stories so that we can really get an idea of who’s doing what and who’s doing good in this world for their workers that they rely so heavily on. So I’m very happy to hear the good news going on in your area. Thank you.
Isis: Oh, yes. Um, yeah, being friends with a lot of dancers from all over, I’m hearing different stories. And it’s just like, I understand because I’ve traveled and danced and I’ve seen how some clubs run in comparison to others. And like, I’m, I always say that I’m really blessed to be where I am.
AMD: That’s great. That’s really great. Well, thank you so much for calling in.
Isis: All right. Thank you so much.
AMD: You’re welcome. Bye. Bye.
AMD: Everyone, I’m very excited for our next caller. This is Nikki St. John. Hi, Nikki.
NSJ: Hey, Anne Marie.
AMD: Hey, Nikki and I are buds. Nikki’s one of the few people that calls me by my full name, which I totally love. I love it! Not that many people call me that anymore. I mean, both are right. I love it. So, I just wanted to put that out there. Nikki, can you tell everyone where you’re calling from today?
NSJ: Okay, thanks. I’m calling from Atlanta. Okay. Great. Um, do you dance in Atlanta or is that just where you’re staying? Well, I live in Atlanta and I mainly dance in Charlotte in North Carolina at a club called Onyx. I also sometimes dance in Atlanta like on Sundays, mostly. Um, but it’s a crazy situation over here. They’re reopening Atlanta. I’m sure everyone’s heard about that. They’re reopening tomorrow, but the strip clubs are not opening.
AMD: Do you suppose that’s because strip clubs require- I mean, there’s really no distancing in strip clubs. I mean, we’re literally on top of each other. Literally.
NSJ: Yeah, yeah. I think that that has a lot to do with it. Especially because Atlanta clubs are really small, and they get packed pretty quickly. As far as Charlotte’s concerned, they’re not opening things yet, but those clubs are a lot bigger. So I could really see the social distancing thing working there because there are so many, like, booths and like you know, areas where a party could come and be, you know, sectioned off. But still, it’s like, if you have a party of like, say, six people and then you have five dancers over there in that section, you know, it’s still like nine people in a very small booth.
AMD: Yeah, okay. Whew. Well that’s, I guess, exciting for Atlanta. I don’t know what the Consensus is there,
NSJ: There are a lot of businesses that said that they may not open because even though the governor is saying that he wants to open a lot of businesses aren’t really feeling comfortable with the whole thing. So it’s going to be interesting to see tomorrow like how many people actually do open.
AMD: That is going to be interesting. I would like to read the news about that.
NSJ: All right, and then not only that but a lot of people here anyway are saying that they’re not going outside once it reopens-
AMD: Right exactly who’s yeah- Very interested to hear more about that. So what was work like before things got really weird with covid like were you being treated? Well, um, was the money good? Uh, how was your relationship with management your employers if you don’t mind sharing that?
NSJ: Yeah, well, the money was great. We had a really big event called (inaudible). So I made a nice little stack, you know, nice little bag that week. And it really helped being that when this crIsis where everything was shut down. Um, this is kind of like our peak season, at least in Charlotte. It’s a really great season. So I was anticipating a lot of money coming in these next few months. And it just threw everything off for me. Management didn’t really tell us anything. They posted something on Instagram. And it wasn’t like we were contacted directly. The other club that I work at in Atlanta, they’re not even that organized to even have people’s contact information on file. So, like, nobody- I mean, I know I wasn’t contacted. And then, at looking at their information on, like, Google, it seems like they’re permanently closed, the one in Atlanta. Now, the one in Charlotte is still supposed to reopen, and they’ve been posting updates on social media. But as far as anyone, from the club contacting us directly that hasn’t happened. So we just kind of have to reach out to them or look at social media to figure out like what’s going on.
AMD: I mean, that’s I don’t know. It’s like ridiculous You know, you make the money. It’s just courtesy, you know?
NSJ: Yeah, I think that a lot of the employees there, they don’t even know what’s happening. Like, um, Onyx is under Club Ricks. So it’s like the only strip club that’s publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. So it’s like so much red tape to go through. Like, I think if they were like a smaller club, um, that they would probably be more you know, of people telling us what’s going on, possibly. But, even the management there, up until like the day they closed, they, I talked to like the house mom and she had no idea what was gonna happen until it was actually announced. And then there were conflicting things because one of my friends had spoken to another manager and he was like, oh no, we’re still open tonight. And I was like, well I don’t think so, because they just posted on the Instagram page that they’re not open. So it was just a lot of confusion going on.
AMD: Yikes. And I mean, there’s plenty of companies that are traded on the stock market, but talk to the people who work for them, you know?
NSJ: Yeah, that’s true.
AMD: Yeah, uh, so in my mind it means that they should be more on top of it, not less. Because if you’re on that level, um, that means there’s a, I don’t know, it’s a certain air of professionalism. I tend to err on the side of I defend the dancers.
NSJ: Hey, you know, somebody has to defend us because it’s not like it’s organized and you know, we don’t really know like what’s going on from day to day.
AMD: Yeah. No, I get that. I get not them not knowing until the last minute, but I don’t get them not communicating with you properly, because you are the reason they make money. Have they given you any information on how to file for unemployment or taxes or how to support yourself during this time?
NSJ: No, no.
AMD: None of them.
NSJ: I think everyone’s just kind of trying to figure it out. I also have an Instagram page called Pole Dance Nation. And I, you know, I post a lot of videos of pole dancers. And I myself have taught like pole workshops and pole classes, twerk classes, twerk workshops, things like that. And so I took a long break from teaching, but what I’m thinking about doing is teaching some things online. Like I posted something and I had a great reaction to it today on my personal page, Nikki St. John, but I’m just going to go ahead and just start those next week because I just got a notification from a friend. And she said, it looks like the clubs, my main club in North Carolina, isn’t going to open for another six to eight weeks. So that’s like six to eight weeks to figure out what I’m going to do.
AMD: That’s too months.
NSJ: And, you know, thank God, like, the apartment that I live in is pretty cool, like, they’re working with us and everything, but, you know, they still require a notice from your employer saying that you are employed and you’ll be able to go back to work, and it’s kinda hard to track people down to give you that notice when everything’s closed, and it’s just like, you know, how do you really reach anybody?
AMD: Yeah, I mean, that’s infuriating. You know, because you’re right. You need- so I live with dancers and,I myself am not currently dancing. And so, I’m in a different scenario as them, but when it came time, April 1st came around and we, they hadn’t worked in two to three weeks, they were like, well, listen, it’s Corona, like said that to the landlords and they’re like, we get that, but you can’t just call Corona. You can’t just like lift up your skirt and be like coronavirus like over your head and like, you know, you have to like provide proof. And so if your employer isn’t willing to give that to you and your landlords need that, then what the fuck? What do you do?
NSJ: It puts you in like a hard position because you just have to like figure it out and you know, make it make things, you know, thank God I was able to figure it out. But you know, I know that everybody else may not be able to, to have somebody to vouch for them.
AMD: Exactly. Yeah. We’re all in different positions.
NSJ: Right. And then it’s like, you know, even though, you know, we work in a cash business and we save money, still, we don’t know how long this is going to last. So it’s not like I’m in a rush to pay like major things like rent when I know that I need to eat every day. You know, I know. So it’s just kind of like a balancing act. And it’s like, okay, you have to prioritize like what makes the most sense. And then like, I had an issue with my wisdom tooth and then that needs to come out, like so much pain. Okay, well, do I pay for my teeth and do I pay my rent, you know? And obviously if I was working, it wouldn’t be such an issue, you know?
AMD: Yeah. Well, I feel that so one last quick question. Did you get your stimulus check yet?
NSJ: I did not. Now my friend Erica from Dance Freaks. She’s also an accountant and she gave me some adVice because I didn’t think I could file for the stimulus check, but she said that I could and you know, I do have some other jobs that I did that required like a, a 1099, I guess you could say, that they sent me at the year.So I went ahead and I applied, but when I go to check on the status of the stimulus check, I keep getting like an error message. And it’s saying, you know, you may not qualify for it. So then it’s like, well, do I qualify or I don’t qualify?
AMD: Yeah, I don’t know. Yeah, some, some strippers are getting it. Some aren’t. So it just- it just depends on I think there’s a lot of glitches in the system so, um, I think that’s why you’re getting that error message
NSJ: So and then it’s like well, who do you call to talk to because I call the irs number and then it said Um, that they’re not providing any live support at this time, but it’s like, this is the time when we really need the live support because we really could use the money.
AMD: Yeah. Well, getting different stories from all over the country. That’s why we’re doing this. So, thank you so much. We have our other callers ready to come in. I really appreciate you coming in and
NSJ: Thanks for having me. Thanks, Annemare. You’re welcome.
AMD: Thanks, Nikki.
AMD: Hi everyone. We have our next caller on the line. We have Victoria with us. Hello, Victoria. Hi.
Vic: Hi.
AMD: Thank you so much for calling in. Can you please let our audience know where you’re calling from?
Vic: Yeah, so I’m calling in from Las Vegas, Nevada.
AMD: Nice. So do you, um, work in Nevada as well, in Vegas?
Vic: Yeah, so I’m a dancer in Las Vegas and I cam as well, but I’m mostly dance.
AMD: Okay, great So how long have you been a stripper for?
Vic: I began in 2017. It was kind of on and off spotty there and then um, I quit For quite a while, and then I restarted 2019 and worked until I was way too pregnant.
AMD: Got it. Got it. Yeah. Um, okay. So I’m actually really glad to be talking to a dancer from Las Vegas because, uh, a few weeks ago there was an article that came out, um, that said that sex workers weren’t eligible for unemployment in Nevada. And then there was an edit to that article shortly after. Can you fill us in on what like- what it’s like filing for unemployment insurance and like or if you’re getting anything for the um, the PUA the what are they? What is that? What the fuck does PUA stand for? Do you know i’m gonna be honest? I don’t know this part you might not want to put in but I haven’t filed for unemployment because my husband like supports us and everything so That part of the article and everything. I saw that too, I saw that we are included I think somewhere as a small business. But I don’t want to give that information for sure
AMD: because you’re not you’re not sure.
Vic: Yeah,
AMD: You have any friends that tried to file for unemployment out there?
Vic: No, they didn’t. It’s what I know some girls started doing is they had other options, so they either lived with family or they went to go see family or they just started camming, so they didn’t have to file for unemployment.
AMD: Because they found other means of making money.
Vic: Pretty much.
AMD: Was that, does that money, like, supply, like, serve them? Like, is it enough?
Vic: Yes. Yes. It’s enough. And that’s kind of-I guess that’s maybe like a good thing and maybe kind of a little bit of a bad in a way, too. You know what I mean? Like, good thing that they were able to kind of jump to that side. It was able to support them and, you know, take care of their bills and everything. But I’m sure there’s a lot of other girls out there that I did work with as well that didn’t have that as an option. That really only survived as one thing. Yeah.
AMD: The only way to survive is what?
Vic: They were only surviving from dancing, you know, exactly.
AMD: Yeah. So I worked in clubs in Vegas for a little while. I worked at the experiment right now for a few years. Then I worked at Sapphire for like six months. You know, it’s a, it’s a different, it’s a whole different thing than dancing in California or anywhere else, quite honestly. Are you, were you working at the big ones?
Vic: Yeah, so it’s funny, I did start out at Spearmint Rhino too, um, it was a funny experience, but over time, yeah, I ended up at a different club, tried some other ones in between Sapphire as well, um, but you’re right, it’s so different here, like, it’s what I hear other people that they say is get a lot of money like on stage, or they kind of like expect Vegas to be a little bit different, but I don’t know if you agree too, but it’s, the hustle here is just so different.
AMD: Oh, 100%. I agree. It’s so different. And what I experienced when I was in Vegas was there was 200 girls on a shift at once, and then the following year there was 300 and I was like, okay, this is getting ridiculous. And then one night I went to work and it was 400 and I was like, Peace. I’m going somewhere else. I can’t,
Vic: You’re not even going to be seen at that point.
AMD: Oh my gosh. Yeah.
Vic: The one that I ended up with my home club, let’s say that I saw like on my first night, you know, I was kind of being a little nosy. I saw in the corner that it said, there’s a max at 80 girls. And I was like, yeah, this is going to be my new place.
AMD: Yeah. Yeah. So do you feel overall working in Vegas, do you feel supported by your employers that, um, you’re, you’re treated well? Um, and that do you understand your your rights as a worker?
Vic: Yeah, so I definitely like take the time to understand my rights regardless of the club that I work at because unfortunately, you know Vegas is kind of there’s a lot of clubs here and just like a lot of places around the world There are some where um, the managers definitely don’t care. You know how that story goes. They can be very, un for the dancer, you know, they definitely don’t defend the dancers when things happen, but my home club, they’re pretty good. I do feel safe. I feel protected. I feel more like they want to do more for us than they even want to do for the customer. They’re so willing. I’m sure there’s going to be people that recognize me and know what club I’m talking about after this, but yes, the bouncer’s there. Like, it’s almost like they’re willing to lose business for us.
AMD: That’s great to hear. I’m really, it’s so interesting doing these calls because, okay. Like when I worked at the Rhino, the manager there was a complete- completely horrendous boss. His name is John Crystal
Vic: Oh he was just the one that hired me. Yeah, he was an asshole Sorry,
AMD: Oh he was awful and I don’t care who knows that he treated a lot of the dancers very poorly specifically me very poorly. It was like I was like- He told the bouncers never to call my name to vip like he thought I was a spy. It was very strange and these are all facts. This is not, you know, literally these are words that he said to me, so I’m not like trying to come off as gossiping. But my point is, my point isn’t of what he said to me, like, I could care less. It’s the overall mentality, uh, right. Um, the workers there that I experienced, it was very much like what you see in the movies, unfortunately.
Vic: Yeah, definitely. I could agree with that.
AMD: Yeah, that was funny because usually when I see stripping in movies i’m like it’s not fucking like that you’re getting it wrong and then Every now, but then there is that asshole manager. I’m like, well that that one’s right
Vic: Yeah, no, I totally agree with that. So I was very happy to conclude my time there
AMD: Yeah, yeah, I totally understand. So but you you’re doing well. You you have a partner, you feel like how how are you surviving overall? With all of this
Vic: So, I mean, it’s hard, you know, I mean, Mental health wise, it’s, you know, you’ve got to find things kind of like with dancing, you know You got to find things that keep your spirits up that keep you active and everything But um, i’ve been still camming a little bit mostly doing custom shows or custom content things like that. But yeah, like you said for the most part I do have a partner that helps out a lot with our situation, so it’s a little different, but we are very much so waiting for it to be over. I emailed my club, you know, like, Hey, when you guys opening? So I’m eager to get back on stage.
AMD: Well, did they answer you?
Vic: Yeah. Yeah. He answered me pretty quickly. He seemed a little frantic. Sorry if you see this too, but um, yeah, I, I can tell that there’s definitely some stress probably going on at the club.
AMD: Oh, 100%. Yeah. And so the other clubs that you’re on the roster for, did you hear anything from them about like them closing down or what your options are as a worker?
Vic: They did not communicate at all. No, they didn’t reach out to anybody from what I, yeah, no. And I was pretty active at that club. No, they didn’t reach out to anybody. It was kind of, if you call, you find out.
AMD: Yeah, I mean, I guess how would they, right? Like, let’s think about it. If there’s 400 dancers, and this was back in 2000 and four, five, six, six? 2005 6 and there was like 400 dancers on the roster. So imagine how many there are now and that was just on one night. And so they probably have like 5,000 dancers or more on their roster, right? Yeah, like create a mailing list. Like how would they now that I think about it?
Vic: I mean, they take so much information.
AMD: Yeah, or maybe just like maybe they could did they post it on their instagram? Did they put it on their website?
Vic: No, no, because I think is what happened was at first. I think when our governor said that businesses should close there was quite a few places that still stayed open and then the next time that our governor had said something It was “no you must close.” So i’m not sure if you saw but even little darlings here Like they were probably the last club that was pushing being open And they were only able to get away with that because they had like a distance, you know.
AMD: So yeah, don’t get me started on little darlings. They advertise, whoo, I’m getting hot. They were advertising that they were having hand sanitizing wrestling. Do you have a hand sanitizer and making strippers wrestle in them!
Vic: I saw that too.
AMD: Horrid. Also, they filed a lawsuit against the administration for discrimination for the, um, exclusion of, uh, sex worker owned businesses. Which, I’m on board with that. Um, but, yeah. They’re a huge offender. And, um, I was very disappointed to read uh, what I read about what they were choosing to do. Um, yeah.
Vic: Me and my husband even drove around, and I was like, I want to see if they’re really open, I don’t know. And I just thought, yeah, they need to close. Like, cause this isn’t fair. Like, all the other clubs had to close, you know what I mean? And it’s like, it’s not looking good. I saw one girl walk in, you know, she didn’t even look like she wanted to be there.
AMD: Yeah. Wow. Well, thank you so much. This has been, this has been an excellent call in. I really appreciate you taking the time.
Vic: Thank you for your time. I appreciate it too.
AMD: Oh, you’re so welcome. All right.
Vic: Stay safe out there.
AMD: Yeah, you too. Bye.