Whenever we hear that someone we actually know makes her living working as a dancer in a nightclub, we tend to make judgements and assume the woman has no values or morals since she would do such a thing. Women have their own reasons for engaging in topless dancing, entertaining men, stripping, girly bar dancing, or a number of other terms which society refers to it as. The main reason women dance for a living is simply because it's good money and they have the assets to bring in a reliable income. I am neither condoning nor endorsing this type of industry, I am merely stating the preconceived notions associated with it.
1. They sleep with men for money. This is possibly the biggest myth of all. Society tends to assume that since they dance provocatively for men with virtually no clothes on, then they must also engage in prostitution during their off time. This is not the case for all of them, since many of these women already have supportive significant others waiting at home for them.
2. They engage in frequent drug use. Since these women dance for men, they must be wild party animals and therefore drink heavily or do drugs. Again, this is not the case for the majority of these women. Just because they entertain men in a way that society tends to look down upon doesn't mean they ingest illegal substances. Many nightclub establishments threaten to terminate ladies who are suspected of this type of behavior, as they want their entertainers to be able to fully function as professionals.
3. They are lacking in intelligence and education. This perhaps is the biggest myth of all. Our narrow minded society tends to assume that if a woman chooses to dance for a living, then she must not have any other educational training and therefore no other skills or abilities. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Many women are college students, simply trying to make their way through the expenses of college life. Other women already have their formal training in other fields, but they need a way to supplement their income or they make more money dancing than their traditional 9 to 5 jobs. With the high cost of living nowadays, many women are finding that they need additional means in order to pay the bills.
4. They get turned on when dancing for other men. Does your or your significant other's OB/GYN get turned on when he or she performs an examination? Let's hope that the doctor is simply doing a job, which is what dancers do when they perform. It becomes a routine, an act, a solid performance on which they gain experience and become accustomed to performing on a regular basis.
5. They are easy. I am trying to keep from laughing as I write this one! It is sad how we often assume that just because these women wear next to nothing and dance provocatively for men, they must be easy to get in the sack. This couldn't be further from the truth. Once again, many entertainers have significant others or spouses and go home to them after having put forth their hard work and efforts which requires them to be alert not only physically but mentally as well. They have no qualms about showing off their bodies because they work hard to keep them beautiful, which prompts jealousy in others who do not take care of theirs.
I hope this clears up some of the misconceptions that people often have about this type of industry. I can recall how the old dad from the movie Grumpy Old Men stated that "It's the experiences in life that count." For many women, that's exactly what this business is: a learning experience, or a temporary means to an end.
