If you are a feminist who poles...

Black Orchid · 2012-02-03T16:38:01+00:00

To put this into context, I am proud to call myself a feminist, a pretty progressive or left-of-centre one at that. I have been doing art & activist work since I was in college, and a lot of my creative work is pretty edgy politically and sexually. I do have a "purely sparkly!!" entertainer side as well but most people who know me know that I am not one to back away form an artistic challenge. What I am currently stumped by is how to respond to colleagues/peers/friends who I thought of as politically progressive saying things to me like : " The pole is a symbol of pain & oppression to women!" " I don't understand why you do burlesque" etc. I guess I can deal with what I see as sexual conservatism but I don't know how to respond on-point to fellow leftists because they will not accept any response other than "pole represents sexual slavery" or something to that nature. I am just stumped by the unbending nature of those statements. I guess I knew when I started doing burlesque and training in pole that I was getting pretty close to touching what I call "the third rail" of sexually charged performance. ( yes, I know pole can be purely athletic and lyrical...I like all of that PLUS the sexy). What are your suggestions?

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