Reykjavík Grapevine - 09.04.2010, Síða 6

6
The government of Iceland has out-
lawed all businesses that profit off
of the nudity of employees, most no-
tably strip clubs, leading the Guard-
ian’s Julie Bindel to proclaim it “the
most female-friendly country on
the planet.” Meanwhile, strippers,
sex workers, and sex worker advo-
cates across the world are wondering
where our opinions fit in. Accord-
ing to Fríða Rós Valdimarsdóttir, an
Icelandic specialist working in the
field of human trafficking and pros-
titution prevention, it is “highly un-
likely” that the strippers at the centre
of the debate were consulted for their
views on the proposed change in leg-
islation.
“Sex workers seldom take part in
public debate,” she tells us. “There
is no formal spokesperson or union.
Most likely, this is because most
women working in the sex industry
are forced to live double lives in a
small society like Iceland.”
This seems like a poor excuse for
failing to take into account the per-
spectives of the population of women
who will be most impacted by the
ban.
RECESSION STRIPPING
According to Guðný Gústafsdóttir,
spokeswoman of the Feminist As-
sociation of Iceland, a survey made
on a large group of strip-dancers in
Iceland showed that “...their accom-
modation was poor and their income
in the clubs low. Not to mention the
long and hard working hours.”
Perhaps if these dancers had been
included in the conversation around
the proposed ban, they might have
pointed out that such conditions ap-
ply to many types of employment. In
this recession economy, many strip-
pers and other sex workers are strug-
gling and having to work long hours
to make ends meet, but many choose
to continue working in the sex indus-
try because the pay and conditions
are still preferable to other jobs avail-
able to undocumented immigrants
with few formal qualifications, as
many of Iceland’s strippers appar-
ently are. This is particularly true for
women, since the sex industry is one
of the only industries in which wom-
en are able to earn more than men.
BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLy AS A
STRIPPER IS AN UPHILL BATTLE
In parts of the world where strip-
pers have united to stand up for their
rights, they have generally attempted
to improve working conditions by
voicing their opposition to labour vio-
lations, such as lack of basic wages
and benefits, and illegal fees and
fines charged by club managers. In
no cases have strippers fought to
shut down the strip club industry al-
together. Fríða Rós Valdimarsdóttir
thinks that current attitudes in Ice-
land would make it hard for strippers
to have much success in organising
to improve working conditions.
“Sex work is not considered a real
or ‘proper’ job in Icelandic society,”
she tells us. “I remember one inter-
viewee telling me about a stripper
that was trying to find out to which
labour union her employer had paid
the fees he subtracted from her sala-
ries. Whichever union she rang she
was simply laughed at. This indicates
that the view in Iceland is that it is
ridiculous to get the rights and ben-
efits you deserve as an employee if
you work as a stripper.”
Being taken seriously as a stripper
is an uphill battle all over the world,
and certainly in some cultures more
than in others. It is perhaps not sur-
prising that Iceland’s strippers don’t
have a formal union or spokesperson,
considering the increased stigma and
risks that sex workers, who are also
undocumented immigrants, face in
coming out and publicly standing
up for their rights. However, it is the
responsibility of the feminists who
claim to be speaking on their behalf
to fully consider the potential impact
of this legislation on this margin-
alised group of women, rather than
using their lack of political clout as
an excuse not to seek their input.
A BLACK ANd wHITE dISTINCTION
Debates about the ban have centred
on the issue of whether it will drive
the strip club industry underground,
with Matthew Yglesias at Think
Progress pointing out that this is
unlikely to happen within Iceland,
since it is such a small country that
it might actually be possible to moni-
tor and control the industry in this
way. Similarly, Jill Filipovic writes on
Feministe that the ban is unlikely to
lead to “an epidemic of underground
strip clubs” and that she’s “not sure
that strippers will now face the kinds
of immediate dangers that sex work-
ers who sell sexual services negotiate
every day” in countries where prosti-
tution is banned.
Such a black and white distinction
between strippers and prostitutes,
however, demonstrates a lack of un-
derstanding of the f luid nature of sex
work. Many strippers sell sexual ser-
vices beyond just taking their clothes
off, whether within strip clubs or out-
side work, whether with clients they
meet in strip clubs or with clients
they meet outside work. Banning
strip clubs merely limits women’s
options for where and how they can
make money selling sexual services.
A CLASS ISSUE
Whether or not the ban drives strip
clubs—or sex work—underground
within Iceland, it seems highly un-
likely to stop anyone from working
in the sex industry. If the women
working in Iceland’s strip clubs were
trafficked, they have debts to pay to
their traffickers, who are not likely
to wait around while they pay them
back by doing whatever low paying
jobs exist for undocumented immi-
grants in Iceland—they will likely
be trafficked to another country to
work in the sex industry, probably ac-
cumulating more debt in the process.
If these women migrated to Iceland
by themselves to work in the sex in-
dustry, they will find a way to migrate
to another country to work in the sex
industry, spending their own hard-
earned cash or getting themselves
into debt—or possibly debt-bondage
situations—in the process.
It seems that Iceland’s strip club
ban is more of a class issue than a
women’s issue. The middle class pol-
iticians and activists of Iceland don’t
want the sex industry in their own
back yards as a daily reminder of gen-
der inequalities. They do not seem
overly concerned with the livelihoods
or wellbeing of the immigrant wom-
en who work in these clubs. Guðný
Gústafsdottir’s proud claim that “the
ban is one step on the way to elimi-
nate sexual violence in Iceland” only
makes this clearer. Does she really
believe that the women who will lose
their jobs as a result of the legislation
and likely end up migrating to work
in the sex industry elsewhere will be
any safer from violence as a result, or
is this legislation really intended to
benefit the “good” women who don’t
take their clothes off for money?
It’s no wonder that many sex
workers doubt that the mainstream
feminist movement has their best in-
terests at heart.
Rachel Aimee was a co-founder and edi-
tor-in-chief of $pread Magazine, a U.S.
publication by and for sex workers, from
2004 to 2008 and worked as a stripper
from 2003 to 2009.
Katrin Redfern is a New York City-
based freelance reporter, feminist, and
sex worker rights advocate.
Article | Women Rights
Is The Stripping Ban A Good Idea?
On how Iceland’s middle class activists don’t want the sex industry in their own back yards
RACHEL AIMEE & KATRIN REdFERN
JULIA STAPLES
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 04 — 2010
“The middle class
politicians and activists
of Iceland don’t want
the sex industry in their
own back yards as a
daily reminder of gender
inequalities. They do not
seem overly concerned
with the livelihoods
or wellbeing of the
immigrant women who
work in these clubs.”
For many years during my
childhood, I was a fully
committed Christian. Stop
laughing, it’s absolutely true!
I attended church very, well, religiously.
I read large parts of the Bible, prayed at
night and didn’t swear at all. Shit, I didn’t
even say the word “sex” as I thought
saying it would damn my soul. Yup,
religion sure had its theocratic tentacles
wrapped around me. Then I turned 14,
looked out my window and thought. “This
is all bollocks. I can’t do this anymore!” I
went to my local church and told them I
wouldn’t be coming back. And it hasn’t
given me any problems. Well apart
from issues with clowns and autoerotic
asphyxiation.
Why all of this reminiscing about
my religious past? Well Easter has just
passed, where we celebrated the fact
that Jesus apparently suffered a massive
health and safety accident by getting
himself nailed to a bit of wood. We’re also
smack right in the Icelandic confirmation
season.
Ah yes, that point in an Icelandic
child’s life when he or she is sent to
church-school to learn about Jesus for
the winter, then attend a big service
where they sing some tasty hymns and
stand up to proclaim their never-ending
devotion to the great bearded one in the
sky.
But the fun doesn’t end there.
Afterwards, a lavish party of Caligulean
proportions is thrown by the kids’
families. Not only is the saintly sprog
likely to receive bucketloads of money
from friends and family members, but
they’ll also receive hugely expensive gifts,
such as golden motorbikes or a unicorn
weaned on the tears of Björk. All in all,
it is a glorious ceremony to celebrate a
young person’s love for Jesus.
Except, as many people know but
maybe don’t accept, that all of this is
hypocritical bullshit. Most of the children
involved neither are nor will be regular
churchgoers, and most don’t believe in
God either. I’m sure many Icelanders
will say that this is a long held tradition
that brings families together. But the real
message I seem to garner from all of this
is “lie about something you do not care
about and get tons of free shit and money
for it”. And people wonder how certain
Icelanders can breezily make statements
on one thing when they believe the exact
opposite. It’s because they start when
they’re young!
And that’s just something I can’t
seem to get my head around. Like many
other nations, Iceland is moving towards
a post-religious society, where religion
can be freely practiced but the majority
of people, well, can’t be arsed, really.
And yet so many people feel compelled
or pressured to perform this ceremony
without asking if it’s really needed in their
lives.
“But Bob,” I hear you cry, “why the
grouchiness? Surely if families are dumb
enough to blow their savings on this, then
surely that’s their prerogative?” Well, it
doesn’t take a genius to point out that
the gradual but never-ending squeeze
of the Kreppa means many families are
finding it harder to afford these up and
coming confirmation parties and gifts.
Ask yourself, fellow Icelander, if burying
yourself under mountains of debt to
entertain several family members you
don’t even like while little Unnar gets to
ride on a combination jet ski/laptop that
YOU´VE bought is worth watching him
take part in something that at the end
of the day he doesn’t even really care
about? Something tells me that many
of you won’t even bother asking this
question.
By all means have a confirmation if
you and your children are people of faith.
But personally, when I have children, I’m
going to spend my money for something
they believe in. Oh and clown self-
defence lessons. Those bastards are
sneaky....
I Believe In Jesus.
Now Give Me My
Free Shit!
Opinion | Bob Cluness
What's your opinion on the whole strip-ban debacle? Do you think Iceland outlawing the act of striptease will ultimately
have a good effect on global human trafficking. Would you consider taking your clothes off for money? Send us a letter.