Strippers
Background: This page was developed as a result of a viewer's suggestion. She argued that the theme of the stripper or dancer was prevalent in popular culture. I agreed and added this page. The stripper/dancer trope illustrates a number of themes of the gendered pop world: (1) the female as only a product of her biology or body, (2) a female performativity as the woman dances or strips for the presumably male gaze, (3) the woman as vulnerable or unsafe as she is invited to take off her clothes without reservation. The Ads: The ads below emphasize the theme of stripping and dancing. The viewer will note that some images are not explicit dance or stripping images, but still suggest a performativity that invites the viewer of the ad to watch the woman (see ads 2, 22, 23, etc.). Even when women are not depicted as dancers or strippers (ads 30, 37, 48, 49, 60), they are expected to dance for men and also strip. In some ads (54), stripping is connected to alcohol. images 72-76 on the page). Discussion Questions: (1) Why is the stripper such a prevalent theme in popular culture? (2) Are male strippers—either in actual performance or in their visual representation in the media—presented in a manner similar to female strippers? (3) What do images of strippers and dancers suggest about male and female roles in society?
