Strip City ~ Book Review

As you may have guessed, this book isn't related to BDSM in any way but only sex work, however I wanted to share how much I enjoyed it.

Formula for sex workers turned writers: Take Girl who is edgy, artistic and doesn't really fit it. Girl leaves home and goes far far away. Girl has no money (Crap!) Girl realizes sex work as a viable option to make a lot of money while going to school or pursuing creative goals. Lilly Burana decides to pick up stripping again to get some closure and travels around the country.

Even though she was a stripper for about five years, she claims she never took it very seriously and up and quits to be a full time writer. Her first assignment is driving across country where she meets a man in Montana. (I have a crush on this man, he's from Montana for pete's sake, he does manly things and is even missing a tooth, swoon!) Lily decides to start stripping and to go about it in a more professional way, signing up for stripping school, buying custom made costumes and a shit ton of glitter. She finally learns to be a good dancer. It's a thorough exploration of herself and other women in the biz across the country. In the mix are many interviews with elderly burlesque performers and famous (and not so famous) strippers from back in the day.

She also takes some time to mention how she fought for stripper's rights in San Francisco over the ridiculous, but practically mandatory stage fees that crop up in clubs.

I like her style. I like that she's from NJ. I like that I am privileged to read another happy ending of a woman in the sex industry who is also a writer.

D.C. Madam

I am very saddened to hear about the apparent suicide of the D.C. Madam. This greatly grieves me for many reasons. Most of which are expressed in the following:

Damnit--D.C. Madam Hangs Herself

Are your boots made for walking?

As a professional domme, I often think about my feet and the boots I wear. What's more I think about what I'm going to do with them. I recently came across this campaign for Kenneth Cole, asking for real people who live their lives in a different way, one category they seek to employ are sex workers. I've always liked Cole's thought provoking campaigns and I admire he does seem to be genuinely concerned with making a statement rather than just making a sexy ad for his shoes. I received this information a little late in the game, but thought it may be of some interest:

We are casting the Fall 2008 advertising campaign for Kenneth Cole. The campaign is called NON-UNIFORM THINKING and we hope to shine a light on different types of social issues facing people around the world. In particular we would like to profile those who work to end injustice both at home and abroad. The campaign will be an extension of what is running right now all across America

(www.kennethcole.com/) and will be a celebration of those individuals who strive to make a difference in the world around them. One issue we feel would be interesting to profile is that of sex workers and the dangers they face every day. Awareness is the most important aspect of change and most people do not understand what a sex worker even does and by enlightening those who do not know we can focus on ending the stigma and violence that plagues the community.

The ad campaign will run for 6 months in all print media (magazines, billboards, internet, in-store display) beginning in the fall. In addition we will be filming the shoot and interviewing those involved to be put on the kennethcole.com website. In the interview the person(s) can tell their story and discuss whatever they wish in relation to being a sex worker and the issues they face on a daily basis.

If this were to work out we will pay a fee of $3,500 to be distributed however they wish.

It will shoot in NYC the week of April 14th.

I have included some general information below about Kenneth Cole and images from the current campaign. Please visit http://www.kennethcole.com/thinkers/default.asp to see the complete advertising campaign as well as videos on all of the participants.

For the last 25 years, Kenneth Cole has been both innovative and provocative in raising awareness of a multitude of social causes and issues. As a company Kenneth Cole prides itself on doing things differently, and trying to make the consumer see society from a different perspective. The NON-UNIFORM THINKING campaign embraces this mindset and focuses on real people who live their lives in a different way – either by their own choice or through circumstance. By integrating interesting people of substance into this fashion campaign we hope to dispel all forms of social prejudice by celebrating diversity. Kenneth Cole strives to choose the path least worn and question the status quo. Our attitude is, "If we can't do it differently, it's not worth doing."

If you know of anyone who is interested please have them email info@swopusa.org with their story and a few photos of themselves asap.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks so much

Sex Workers Outreach Project USA

Administrative Team

912 Cole St. #202

San Francisco, CA 94117

www.swopusa.org

1-877-776-2004 #2