On the fence about the pole....

I have a pretty interesting Friday evening lined up…..tonight I am putting on my heels and getting on the pole. Yes, I mean THAT pole! No, I am not changing professions; I am just going to take a pole dancing class at Pole LaTeaz. My sister, the fabulous Wifey is hosting a little soiree to celebrate her upcoming birthday and kick off the launch of The Blog Rollers. She thought it would be a fun way to step outside the box and “bring a little sexy back” to Ladies Night Out. I was excited as soon as she mentioned the idea and thought it would be a blast! I saw it as a chance to step into someone else’s high heeled shoes for 90 minutes and get my strut on. There is something powerful about the confidence a woman exudes when she is working that pole and working the room with all eyes on her. I’m a newlywed so the sparks are still flying, rapidly. But I am no fool, why not to pick up a few tricks for my arsenal and save them for later use?! So that was my first reaction – fun night out and a little sexual empowerment, too.

I was talking to a friend and casually mentioned the pole dancing class and sensed a reaction. It was just a quick pause, enough to tell she had an opinion about it, but the conversation moved on quickly so I didn’t get a chance to find out what she thought. But it didn’t matter because my mind had already started racing, my inner Gloria Steinem came out and I started looking at the class in a different way. Was I participating in something that desensitized the degradation of women in society?

Regarding issues like strip clubs, porn, and adult entertainment I am fairly open minded and think people should make choices that feel right and excite as long as no one is being victimized and hurt in the process. I’ve been to a strip club and the sexual charge in the air is very enticing. Like porn, stripping is one of the few professions where women make significantly more money than men. It’s all based off stroking the male ego and playing to their fantasies while emptying their pockets. Even Betty Freidan has got to see the cosmic joke in that. But along with the financial reward comes potential drug abuse, sexual harassment and a dangerous lifestyle that can lead down a very dark, destructive path.

So I found myself looking at the situation from two different perspectives and trying to figure out my feelings. I went with my first reaction, because I trust my gut. I see the class as a great opportunity to have fun and express my sexuality. I still have concerns about the safety and well being of women in certain environments – but it’s not exclusive to the world of adult entertainment. Women face sexual discrimination everyday in every industry. We are continuously objectified in film and television but I’m not throwing out my TV or vowing to never go to the movies again. I am careful about what I watch, what I buy and what I support and that’s how I make an impact. I think I can get something positive out of this class without a negative cost to women. So, now all I have to worry about is making a complete fool of myself in high heels and the bruises that are bound to come when I bust my ass! ;)