Oh, The Horror, The Horror...
Not for me. But, for a bunch of puritanical idiots in St. Petersburg, Florida. An Advice Goddess Blog lurker-regular e-mailed me:
Here's something I just had to send...the St. Petersburg Times recently did a feature article on a mother-daughter stripper team, and received the predictable avalanche of complaints by head-up-ass readers. I thought that was the end of it, but several days later and much to my surprise, a few more reasonable letters about that same article were printed. Two in particular were exceptional...here they are:Re: Letters in response to the Mama's Girl story. June 3.Letter writers protesting the story on mom-daughter strippers seem basically to have two complaints: The Times isn't judgmental enough, and sex exists.
Of the first, let me applaud this 'family' (says who?) newspaper for presenting a story about how one woman kept her family together and solvent. It may indeed say something we don't want to admit about our economy that the daughter can support herself better by stripping than by working for grunt wages at Taco Bell or Kmart, but I appreciate that what it does say is left to me to interpret. (First impression? She's responsible, having spent the cash on real estate rather than bling.)
On this point, it seems the Times has learned the lesson about not judging others better than those who profess it as a matter of faith.On the second point, these prudes need to remember that each of them was conceived out of lust. Like it or not, all life begins in the rut, and our culture's inability to respect, indulge and understand our magnificent animal desires - the desires that have created every single human--- is why we have strip clubs in the first place. Appalled that despite millenniums of repression, sexuality isn't against the law? Take it up with your mom and dad.
Andrew McAlister, Tampa
Just a story about a different lifestyle
Re: Mama's Girl responses.
What makes all these people think that this article was so offensive? It was simply about a lifestyle engaged in by this family. Like it or not, there are many different lifestyles in this country. By printing this story and other stories of different lifestyles, this newspaper does what it is supposed to do: expose us to information that we ourselves do not have the time or resources to observe or learn about. Where were all the puritans when the story about the Indian woman and her arranged marriage were printed. Isn't that just as demeaning to women?
We don't have to read every story that is printed in the paper. All anyone had to do was read the caption to know what the article was about. As for all the comments about children seeing this article, isn't that the job of parents and teachers? To first look through the paper and remove anything they may find objectionable before simply handing it over to the precious innocent darlings?
How is it that I never see complaints about all the articles about fraud, murder, corruption, war and the other mayhem printed daily? Aren't your children reading those articles? In every issue of the newspaper there are articles that are inappropriate for children. As a parent, it is my job to be aware of what my child is reading, not the newspaper's.
Catherine Matthies, Spring Hill
To show my solidarity with all the stripper girls out there, and to again do my part for my poor blog readers who complain of being starved of "welder-wife tail" and the like...this one's for you.
Following the link would be gauche; the article may offer insights not present in this your blog post.
There's a strawman of historical repression of sex in the modern mind. Sure, throughout history, including the Dreaded Fifties, certain people had certain problems in certain contexts. But that's life! I know very few people who have sex lives of boundless fulfillment and effortless comfort. Those who make it happen observe boundaries, make continuing sacrifices, and are ferociously attentive to the interests, feelings, and moods of others.
These skills are not taught at strip clubs. You don't have to be a prude to think these places appeal to people's lesser nature. That doesn't mean they shouldn't be there, but neither should they be celebrated as salons where brilliant, forward-thinking people explore proud new vistas of courage and character.
Is there more to this "family" than the mother and daughter, or is the meaning of the word being mocked? What role do the dads, sons, and brothers take in the family enterprise? Or is a "family" nourished on this aggressive edge of sexual boundaries composed only of women? Why would that be? Maybe I should read the article....
...Nah. But it would be great to know what would happen to property values in my neighborhood if the four strip clubs nearby turned into Cambodian nail boutiques and hispanic printing shops.
Regarding the animation, try a southeastern vector of moderate magnitude with a trace of circular english..... Hoooooo!
Crid at June 12, 2006 1:29 PM
Amy, is that really you? Nice, solid display of solidarity. :-)
Gary Steiger at June 12, 2006 2:51 PM
After three hours of this, I realize the best way to do this is with a clockwise/counter-clockwise motion...
eric (boy are my arms tired...) at June 12, 2006 6:57 PM
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