Working as a stripper AND a nurse

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Hello everyone. I was wondering, is it detrimental to my job as an RN if I am also stripping on the side for additional money? Can I be fired for this? I know there are morality issues (for some) and such with this, but is it legally wrong? I live in southern California by the way. The salary as I make as a stripper is far greater than any nursing job out there. The reason I'm also working as a nurse is for the benefits, retirement, and job security when I'm older and can no longer strip.

How much money is a stigma worth?

A stigma follows you for years after you stop. You can be referred as an ex-stripper for a long time.

Is the pay really all that great?

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

The more I think about this, I imagine the problem could be more with employment than a BON. Boards of Nursing will have bars for criminal convictions, etc. It's messy and more subjective for BONs to get into personal activities if they don't violate the law.

Employers are free to refrain from hiring applicants for just about any reason that is not related to race, religion, etc. They may also fire employees for reasons related to their morality clauses in written policies and employment contracts.

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If you feel this way about strippers- do you feel the same about models? If you're talking "negative impact on women" I'd be MORE concerned with models and the modelling industry than I would exotic dancers. MHO.

As to the "selfish indulgence" that you view as "at the expense of" women in general- I'd say that women have neither duty nor obligation to live their lives for how *you* (or me or anyone else) sees fit. Each woman must define for herself what is/isn't moral, desireable, tolerable etc. Using your line of logic here, one could argue that women who do not wear the burqua and show anything more than their fingertips are engaging in a "selfish indulgence at the expense of all women" as well..

Stripping also is in many cases more of a flirtation, an "eye candy" issue than it is a "helping guys jack off" issue. Does it happen? Sure- but then again- guys jack off to underwear model ads, thoughts of co-workers, attractive passengers on the bus, movie starlets, magazine ad models etc. etc. etc. etc. Should women hide under rocks (or copious amounts of fabric) because a man might *gasp* masturbate to thoughts of them? Should flirting be immoral and taboo for the same reason? Are Hooters girls strippers and should they be viewed in that same light? What about models? All models or just some models? See- the issue is that stripping passes YOUR comfort zone. That's perfectly OK. What is comfortable and acceptable for one person may not be for another. However- your comfort zone, moral standards etc. aren't the only ones to consider. You may feel that something has a negative impact on women- others may feel it neutral- still others may feel it a positive thing. Some people are not ashamed or afraid of their sexuality/sensuality and not only feel comfortable expressing it- but feel comfortable doing so at points that might be uncomfortable for others. It's easy enough to avoid- just don't go to a club if it bothers you. Are strippers different than bellydancers? Why? A bit more clothing? OK- but most men would say that a bit more clothing is even more desireable because of the mystery... Bellydance is VERY sensual/sexual- just not as crass to our culture as is stripping. I just see it as more of an issue of cultural discomfort in a very prudish and sexually confused society... *shrugs*

I believe that women participating in the sex industry negatively impacts my life and the lives of all girls and women---and ultimately men--in our society. Objectification on that level is carried out into the world and changes the way we are all viewed....

...Self empowerment? I can't argue against what someone states they glean from any experience. But I would state it is a selfish indulgence at the expense of general perception of all women. And I would also argue that acknowledged or not, participating in an activity as objectifying as stripping pulls at the thread of any women's core sense of worth. We all know the physical is transient, temporary. You have to go deeper and do more than strip off clothes to find true beauty and sense of worth.

In the end, I ask the OP to consider reasons beyond the BON restrictions to choose to pick up more nursing shifts instead of stripping. Even if the $ is better stripping, consider your impact on your community. How good does it really feel at the end of a shift stripping to feel like you helped a few guys jack off, and maybe become more critical of the women in their lives? That is empowering?

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
If you feel this way about strippers- do you feel the same about models? If you're talking "negative impact on women" I'd be MORE concerned with models and the modelling industry than I would exotic dancers. MHO.

As to the "selfish indulgence" that you view as "at the expense of" women in general- I'd say that women have neither duty nor obligation to live their lives for how *you* (or me or anyone else) sees fit. Each woman must define for herself what is/isn't moral, desireable, tolerable etc. Using your line of logic here, one could argue that women who do not wear the burqua and show anything more than their fingertips are engaging in a "selfish indulgence at the expense of all women" as well..

Stripping also is in many cases more of a flirtation, an "eye candy" issue than it is a "helping guys jack off" issue. Does it happen? Sure- but then again- guys jack off to underwear model ads, thoughts of co-workers, attractive passengers on the bus, movie starlets, magazine ad models etc. etc. etc. etc. Should women hide under rocks (or copious amounts of fabric) because a man might *gasp* masturbate to thoughts of them? Should flirting be immoral and taboo for the same reason? Are Hooters girls strippers and should they be viewed in that same light? What about models? All models or just some models? See- the issue is that stripping passes YOUR comfort zone. That's perfectly OK. What is comfortable and acceptable for one person may not be for another. However- your comfort zone, moral standards etc. aren't the only ones to consider. You may feel that something has a negative impact on women- others may feel it neutral- still others may feel it a positive thing. Some people are not ashamed or afraid of their sexuality/sensuality and not only feel comfortable expressing it- but feel comfortable doing so at points that might be uncomfortable for others. It's easy enough to avoid- just don't go to a club if it bothers you. Are strippers different than bellydancers? Why? A bit more clothing? OK- but most men would say that a bit more clothing is even more desireable because of the mystery... Bellydance is VERY sensual/sexual- just not as crass to our culture as is stripping. I just see it as more of an issue of cultural discomfort in a very prudish and sexually confused society... *shrugs*

We nurses and nursing students care about evidence. I challenge you to find one peer reviewed journal article referencing a study that concluded that women working as strippers or in Mediaography had positive psychological outcomes related to/or after working in these industries.

You won't find it. Because the vast majority of women working in these industries don't have good psychological outcomes. The stigma exists for a reason.

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How much money is a stigma worth?

A stigma follows you for years after you stop. You can be referred as an ex-stripper for a long time.

Is the pay really all that great?

If she were some major headliner, OK sure. But a gal who dances on the weekends for some extra cash? Not so much really. Most people never even realize who is/isn't a dancer. Unless they're in major magazines or a big draw on the 'net etc. (Well- other than in small towns where everyone knows everyone else's business whether they want to or not. LOL)

In some areas it's a stigma- in others it's a non-issue.

Yes- the pay *can* be that great. Depending on the dancer, the club etc. A friend of mine has made $1000 in one evening... How many extra shifts does that translate into?

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We nurses and nursing students care about evidence. I challenge you to find one peer reviewed journal article referencing a study that concluded that women working as strippers or in Mediaography had positive psychological outcomes after working in these industries.

You won't find it. Because women working in these industries don't have good psychological outcomes. The stigma exists for a reason.

... Or because no one has thought to do a study on it...

I've known too many strippers to agree with you here regarding your universal generalization. I'd agree that it holds true for *some*- but NOT for all.

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
... Or because no one has thought to do a study on it...

Hardly. Women's studies researchers and social scientists have studied this issue pretty well.

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Hardly. Women's studies researchers and social scientists have studied this issue pretty well.

OK- then cite your sources. I assume you have credible and unbiased studies based on a control group with a balanced range of psychological backgrounds to start with? If they studied only those who were screwed up going into the field- it doesn't count as unbiased. ;)

I'd also like to see whatever studies that you must have that disprove the idea that womens psychological outcomes *as a rule* are negative after working as a stripper.

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
OK- then cite your sources. I assume you have credible and unbiased studies based on a control group with a balanced range of psychological backgrounds to start with? If they studied only those who were screwed up going into the field- it doesn't count as unbiased. ;)

I'd also like to see whatever studies that you must have that disprove the idea that womens psychological outcomes *as a rule* are negative after working as a stripper.

You were the one making the initial claims I quoted about it being empowering with a lack of psychopathology and such. So it was upon you to support your claims with evidence, if you choose to do so.

I choose not to take the time to refute your claim because I have an exam tomorrow and don't care to go find the evidence that I've skimmed for a Women's Studies class, previously. That and I don't think I care about this issue as much as you appear to. ;)

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You were the one making the initial claims I quoted about it being empowering with a lack of psychopathology and such. So it was upon you to support those claims with evidence, if you choose to do so. I choose not to because I have an exam tomorrow and don't care to go find the evidence that I've skimmed for a Women's Studies class, previously. That and I don't think I care about this issue as much as you appear to. ;)

Yes- I did claim that it *could be viewed* as empowering. I also stressed that empowerment was a subjective issue. Matters of subjectivity aren't exactly something that can be studied in peer reviewed unbiased trials, now are they? :icon_roll

If you're presenting that as your opinion- that's fine. But you presented it as factual and supported by evidence- I merely asked you to supply the evidence you claimed to have.

One interesting piece I've found-

http://www.americanethnography.com/article_sql.php?id=66 ..."When performing nude, most exotic dancers do not feel exploited, degraded or psychologically and physically assaulted by males. They work out of economic necessity, as do most people, and they like the freedom to economically profit from controlling their own persona, choreography, sexuality and communication; and the power to enthrall and captivate a patron in a scopic pas de deux. Some exotic dancers say that when men tell them that they are beautiful and pay to ogle them, their work boosts their self-esteem."

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Specializes in thoracic, cardiology, ICU.
You were the one making the initial claims I quoted about it being empowering with a lack of psychopathology and such. So it was upon you to support your claims with evidence, if you choose to do so.

I choose not to take the time to refute your claim because I have an exam tomorrow and don't care to go find the evidence that I've skimmed for a Women's Studies class, previously. That and I don't think I care about this issue as much as you appear to. ;)

You'd probably be hard pressed to find a study of any quality supporting either claim. anecdotally, i've known male and female strippers who were functional and well adjusted who did find it empowering. Some lost themselves in the music and just liked the attention, while others like the expressiveness of feeling comfortable in their own skin. I think its something thats really difficult for people to understand unless they have been a performer of some kind whether its an actor or dancer. in this case most people can't get their prudish minds past the whole being naked part *shrug* :icon_roll

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
Yes- I did claim that it *could be viewed* as empowering. I also stressed that empowerment was a subjective issue. Matters of subjectivity aren't exactly something that can be studied in peer reviewed unbiased trials, now are they? :icon_roll

If you're presenting that as your opinion- that's fine. But you presented it as factual and supported by evidence- I merely asked you to supply the evidence you claimed to have.

One interesting piece I've found-

http://www.americanethnography.com/article_sql.php?id=66 ..."When performing nude, most exotic dancers do not feel exploited, degraded or psychologically and physically assaulted by males. They work out of economic necessity, as do most people, and they like the freedom to economically profit from controlling their own persona, choreography, sexuality and communication; and the power to enthrall and captivate a patron in a scopic pas de deux. Some exotic dancers say that when men tell them that they are beautiful and pay to ogle them, their work boosts their self-esteem."

An opinion piece, not a scientific study, but interesting none the less. Off to study for my exam for me!!!

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