Career Alternatives

The recession leads more women to consider stripping.

by Taara Savage-El

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Published: Apr 1, 2009

In these tough economic times, more and more women in Philadelphia seem to want to become strippers. Managers at three different clubs say they're seeing a spike in applicants for stripping jobs. A manager at Daydreams on Unruh Avenue in the Northeast says he's seen a rise in the amount of women applying for positions in the last couple of weeks. A manager at the Gold Club, in Center City, says he's seen the same thing.

"There's been a drastic increase here of girls trying to apply for positions. Oh my God!" says the Gold Club manager. "Every day I get calls for auditions. We have such a small place, but more and more girls continue to apply. The girls seem to get younger and younger by the day and they're coming from all over. They come from everywhere — Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and other places. It's crazy."

Delilah's Den, a gentlemen's club located on 100 Spring Garden St., has also witnessed an increase in applicants since early this year. "Since January there has been an increase in entertainer applicants," said a sales representative. "We have received most applications from young college students looking for more income, and also from career women who have been laid off and are unemployed."

I spoke to a few women who are either stripping or considering stripping to get a sense of what went into their decision-making. The main advantage they saw was pretty clear.

"It's easy money. I would leave with cash in my pocket every night. I've already applied to one place here. I need it to pay for school and a new car," says one 19-year-old college student and Philadelphia resident who asked that her name not be used.

One 20-year-old college student has already entered the stripping industry. She recently moved to Philadelphia and has been trying to establish a life for herself. "When my mom kicked me out, I started stripping. I was in my freshman year and I needed the money. A regular work schedule takes up too much time and whenever I need money, I can just work a shift and make at least $400 in two days," she says.

Not that becoming a stripper is an easy decision. Even after applying for an exotic dancer position, this 20-year-old still felt uneasy and reluctant about the career. "My mother would kill me if she knew I was doing it," she explains. "I would have to keep my stripper occupation a secret, because it's not really something I would be proud of. This is a job where you have to be willing to sacrifice a little of yourself in order to make a profit."

Indeed, she says she's found the stripping life to be difficult.

"The other dancers you work with can honestly be your worst enemy and your biggest threat, so you definitely have to be careful. Inside of the strip clubs are pretty safe because of the security, but two months ago a girl got stabbed and killed after leaving the club," she explains. "The basic rules of safety are, don't leave with strangers, don't give your number out and don't go anywhere alone. There's also the issue of alcohol and drug usage among girls in the club. This is a profession where most of the time you prefer to be under the influence, so you smoke, pop pills and drink a majority of your work day. Alcohol is always available and it's sad to say but, drugs do help to get you through your shift."

Another 20-year-old Temple student is debating whether to strip. She's unenthusiastic about the exotic dancer life, but feels that in these times, it's a necessary to consider.

"I always thought that if times got hard I would consider being a stripper, and it's definitely tough times," she says. "It's quick money, and I honestly think that I would be good at it. I'm considering it solely for financial purposes though. I would do it to pay bills and for my education. As of now, I don't think I desperately need the money. But if things get worse, then I'm planning on doing it."

(editorial@citypaper.net)

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