TheNiteHwk said:
During my last trip to Ottawa I was discussing this with a couple of dancers I knew very well from years ago at The Fax. They were explaining to me that some of them felt that they had no choice but to allow some limited touching because of how many other dancers that were allowing it and if they did not then they would have no business. Sadly some dancers are in a way stuck in the industry and have no other means of support or the ability to get out. For them the pressure is even greater to give in and allow touching or if not then accept a very huge income loss that they would not be able to bare. Some of these dancers had at that time gone to great lengths to let their viewpoint be known... including a couple that went to the press and to city hall.
I don`t want to mention any names on the board, but I`m positive I know at least one of the Fax girls you`re talking about. I used to be friends with her years ago and she was extremely upset when touching started that management was allowing it.
On my last visit to Ottawa they now do not have any tableside dancing any more. You had to go to the CR but you had a choice of $10. or $20. dances.
I don`t know how long ago that visit was, but as far I know the $10 option has been gone for a long time. When it started, most of the dancers gave you the two choices, but eventually it became $20 no matter what; which sucked for the guys like me who were never comfortable touching. One dancer even told me mid-dance "You might as well grab my boobs, cuz it`ll cost you the same even if you don`t".
Some of the girls who were against touching started their own 10/20 option. The up-close dances that used to be $10 were now $20 while dancing in front of you but keeping about 3 feet away was a $10. That idea didn`t last long. Those girls eventually gave in or gave up.
I honestly think most of the girls are glad touching is over. At last year`s City Hall protest, the strippers seemed most upset about the proposal that they would all have to purchase licenses and the closing of the CRs. While the license issue was later dropped by the City, they wouldn`t back down on the CRs, which will hurt the girls more than anything else.