What
kind of woman dances naked for money? Bernadette Barton takes us inside
countless strip bars and clubs, from upscale to back road as well as those that
specialize in lap dancing, table dancing, topless only, and peep shows, to
reveal the startling lives of exotic dancers.
Originally published in 2006, the product of years of first-hand research in strip clubs around the country, Stripped is a classic portrait of what it's like for those who choose to strip as a profession. Barton explores why women begin stripping, the initial excitement and financial rewards of the work, the dangers of the life-namely, drugs and prostitution-and, inevitably, the difficulties in staying in the business over time, especially for their relationships, sexuality and self-esteem.
In this completely revised and updated edition, Barton returns to the strip clubs she originally studied to observe the major changes in the industry that have occurred over the last decade. She examines how "raunch culture" affects exotic dancers' treatment by their clientele, who are now accustomed to seeing nudity and sexualized performance in accessible, R and X -rated media from a variety of outlets, particularly the Internet. Barton explores how new media has transformed exotic dancing, allowing dancers to build an online brand, but also introducing possibilities for customers to take unauthorized nude photos and videos of the entertainers.. And finally, Barton speaks to new dancers as well as dancers she interviewed in the previous edition, examining how the toll of stripping still impacts the lives of exotic dancers in a changing industry. Incorporating new scholarship, new observations, and increased awareness of emerging media technology, Barton brings a fresh and important perspective on the challenges that women face working in the still-thriving world of exotic dancing.

About the Author
Bernadette Barton is Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies at Morehead State University. She is the author of The Pornification of America: How Raunch Culture is Ruining Our Society, Stripped: More Stories from Exotic Dancers, and Pray the Gay Away: The Extraordinary Lives of Bible Belt Gays.

Reviews
"The thrust of stripper scholarship is that both dancers and customers are more like your next-door neighbors. Some are your next-door neighbors." * Philadelphia Inquirer *
"Stripped is a revealing book about a revealing (and controversial) trade that focuses on a philosophical clash between old and newschool feminism." * Courier-Journal *
"Compelling. . . . This accessibly written, matter-of-fact book makes important contributions to what is known about the lives and experiences of the growing number of women who 'dance' naked for money. . . . Throughout, the author listens attentively to the shifting, insightful, diverse voices of women with whom she has a palpably respectful connection. Barton uses the complex picture that emerges to engage longstanding debates over the meanings of commodified femininity and sexuality." * Choice *
"Makes an impressive contribution to the sociology of work and its intersection with sex and gender studies at the theoretical and applied levels. It is an excellent examples of the rich data and critical methodological insights that can emerge in the course of engaged field research." * American Journal of Sociology *
"Written clearly with very little jargon, this volume sensitively explores the lives of exotic dancers." -- Noralee Frankel * Archives of Sexual Behavior *
"A terrific read! Stripped is the best kind of feminist work: original, honest, and deeply engaging. Bartons remarkable insights into the work and private lives of exotic dancers move far beyond notions of strippers as exploited or empowered to uncover more hidden aspects of this worldits burdens of emotional labor, social stigma, exhaustion, and boredom as well as experiences of athleticism, ego-gratification, intimacy, and even spirituality." -- Kathleen Blee,author of Inside Organized Racism: Women in the Hate Movement
"Barton presents [exotic dancers] as open-minded & intelligent risk takers who are & comfortable exploring things other people are scared of.-" -- Carlin Romano * Philadelphia Inquirer *
"Fascinating, insightful, and surprisingly balanced. This book will take you way beyond Hollywood's cliches and into the realities of stripping, and you'll emerge with a deeper understanding of the pleasures and the costs of being the object of male fantasies." -- Susan Bordo,author of Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture and the Body
"With Stripped, Barton makes an important contribution to the ongoing conversation about the effects of stripping on the women who actually take their clothes off. The polarized nature of the debates sometimes makes it difficult to say anything complicated about sex workit is either said to be empowering for women or degrading to them. Yet, of course, things are never that simpleand Bartons arguments provide a significant alternative to such binary thinking." -- Katherine Frank,author of G-Strings and Sympathy: Strip Club Regulars and Male Desire



Book Information
ISBN 9781479815692
Author Bernadette Barton
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint New York University Press
Publisher New York University Press
Weight(grams) 363g