The Sunday News
AS I walked into Private Lounge — the home of adult entertainment in the city, one of American R&B artiste Chris Brown’s songs, Crawl, was playing as semi-naked women strutted their stuff onto the stage in lingerie and high heels.
In a well-choreographed routine, they went up and down the poles with the most amazing ease and flexibility as the song got to the hook;
“So we’ll crawl
Till we can walk again
Then we’ll run
Until we’re strong enough to jump
Then we’ll fly
Until there is no winds
So let’s crawl, crawl, crawl.”
Their seductive moves kept patrons glued to the stage, some hardly blinking as the strippers — both slim and plump — did some dirty dancing. They took turns to twerk and suggestively caress their breasts as their waists moved rhythmically to the music.
I bet some who sat on the prime seats close to the stage wished I were transparent as I obstructed their view while I walked past the stage to the VIP section. Texas, a trio of white strippers from South Africa changed the game last Saturday as they went completely nude. Yes — nothing but oil laden essentials flaunted in all angles.
It got steamy and a significant number of men couldn’t handle the pressure — some simply stared while others appeared uneasy in their seats.
But I couldn’t help noticing that only a handful of women were in the strip club which is dominantly patronised by men. It seems women shun strip clubs and feel it is no place for females.
While some curious ones will go just to see what happens at a strip club, most believe it’s solely for the man and the boys.
They believe its demeaning for a woman to be seen in the midst of such nudity. After all, they already have what the strippers are flaunting.
For some, a visit to a strip club is a light bulb moment where they realise, “I can do that!” or “I can wear this!”. It gives them ideas for what they can do for their men when they get home.
One woman said, “There’s nothing fascinating about a strip club”. She believes men are fascinated by naked women — a fascination which does not exist in women because every woman wants to believe they’re well-endowed and sexy enough.
“Strip clubs are just outright wrong,” another woman said.
“It’s offensive for a woman to go and watch another woman stripping. It’s like watching live porn. It bruises a woman’s ego and for this to be happening in public makes it worse.”
Often, people view strippers as sex workers and refer to them as “hookers” who operate in the red light district.
While others want to believe strippers are artists or dancers, many have stereotyped their job as indecent — there are other means of earning a decent living.
“I’m a jagged up woman who doesn’t need to be taught how to satisfy my man by a stripper,” said another woman.
For some, insecurity is what holds them back from hitting the strip club.
“Women shun strip clubs and wouldn’t want to go to one with their man because they’re afraid he’ll meet his IT girl.”
Perhaps what Zimbabwean women need is a strip club where men are flaunting their toys, in Las Vegas fashion, maybe then will they embrace adult entertainment offered by strip clubs.
