In fact, yes, this HAS changed since 2006. Six years is a long time. I myself have been there for three, and have served on stage, as support staff, in the madam office, as well as on the BOD (my current position). In every hiring cycle I’ve witnessed or participated in, race/size are carefully taken into consideration so as not to end up with a boring, Barbie clone-like stage. We want ladies of all possible shapes, sizes, colors, backgrounds, styles, and attitudes. And scheduling is done simply by seniority & stage variety, not by scheduling more “conventionally attractive” (skinny & white) dancers so as to raise revenues.

The Lusty is far from perfect, but once again, your experience was a very long time ago. Almost no one that worked there then is still there now, and the community & workplace culture has changed.

And still, I am being misunderstood. Yes, racism, sizism, and many other -isms are rampant in strip clubs and the sex industry overall! But I don’t like to make sweeping generalizations about places and businesses that I’ve never worked in or visited. I have no idea what it’s like to strip anywhere outside California or Texas, or to make porn outside of the SF scene, or do any sex work that I haven’t tried. I won’t speak for an experience I’ve never had.

Why am I not surprised that someone from the Lusty is ascribing racism in stripping to individual clubs, and not systemic racism in all employment?

The reality is, the Lusty has hid behind unionization and co-operative ownership to hold up hiring practices that discriminate based on size and race. Maybe this has changed since I was fired illegally in 2006 for organizing around these issues?

http://www.sfbg.com/2006/09/26/lusty-lady-loses-its-innocence

All that said, the Lusty isn’t unique in this, and this isn’t to pile on the Lusty — only to say, in recent history, this was still going on there, in a club that is spoken of both by its workers and outside supporters as a model. In many ways, the Lusty is a great model. In others, some progressive practices adopted there are just cosmetic.

Just thought I’d share for anyone that likes going off on sex industry reading tangents like I do…

What I meant to say was that I’m getting tired of outdated information being presented as relevant, recent information about a business that I’m a part owner of, and take great pride in. Siobhan Brooks is quoted often speaking about her experience at the Lusty, and treating it as a situation that is still current,

As a peepshow, the Lusty is a very different workplace than the average strip club, as there is no customer contact, no lapdances, and hourly wages based on seniority. Less stage time means less money, when you’re working for an hourly wage.

As a bigger girl (at least in the sex industry), I’ve worked in mostly black/multi-ethnic clubs when not at the Lusty, as the mostly white clubs will not usually hire a 5’11”, size 12, pierced and tattooed dancer, whereas the black clubs seem to be more accepting of different looks, sizes, and styles. There is discrimination all over the place in strip clubs, based on age, size, color, body art, and any number of completely subjective circumstances. It all boils down to what the hiring managers think will make them the most money, and often outdated ideas of what sells in the sex industry keeps some types of women from being hired at different types of clubs.

I’m sorry if I was not completely clear earlier on my meaning, I just wish that current information was more widely known.

That said, I’ve never stripped and am unfortunately ignorant to the realities of club work, but I’m curious how race issues parallel in the escorting world.

I believe she was involved in the unionization. She wrote an article about it called “Organizing from Behind the Glass”.