Moncton — The owner of a local strip joint wants to celebrate this International Women’s Day by pointing out that he, in fact, employs more women than any other industry in Atlantic Canada.
“Show me a workplace with a higher ratio of female employees — I’ll wait,” said Gill Horace, a greasy, middle-aged slob who resembles a dollar store Tony Soprano, seated in his seedy establishment smoking a cigarette. “There are 19 dancers on payroll and I’m the only man…now, I’m no mathematician but by my calculation that’s a 95 percent female workforce! I should be getting some kind of award or something.”
Horace claims his staff are not stifled like women in low-level office positions, for example, may be.
“There’s a lot of room to move up in the company. I mean, Destinee went from hostess to waitress to dancer in a week. What other company can offer that much upward mobility? They work on commission, so their earning potential is unlimited. Not only that, but they can wear fun outfits — hell, they can wear nothing at all if that’s what they feel like — they get paid lunch breaks, health coverage, and drink discounts. I think a lotta women would be happy to work for me.
“Oh, and we have a glass ceiling above the stage. Last week Starla’s act got pretty wild and she broke right through it, literally!”
Some naysayers believe the exotic dance industry exploits more vulnerable women rather than it empowers, and perpetuates sexist values in society instead of eliminating them. Many say the industry upholds the idea that women are objects.
“Hey, just look at Facebook or Instagram today,” countered Horace. “Most workplaces are all about showing off the number of women on staff. ‘Sixty percent of our employees are women!’ they say. Well, if that’s how we measure empowerment, I’m the most empowering guy in town!”