"I'm NOT a stripper!"

Crossposted, apologies to my FB friends! :) Why does the sentence "I pole dance" so often get followed closely by a derisive "but I'm NOT a stripper!"? In our desire to be taken seriously as dancers and artists, we are -- without even realizing we're doing it -- carelessly tossing aside the very people who created (and continue to create, dancers are INNOVATORS) many of the moves we aspire to do. Think about this little tidbit: many, many of the founding dancers of pole got their starts in clubs. As a community (and, frankly, as a species) we are hurting ourselves when we tear down other human beings simply because of what they do for a living. Dancers have bills to pay and families to care for. Life goes on for them just as it does for any person on earth. We are attempting to prove our legitimacy by tossing theirs into the garbage. Believe me, I understand not wanting your friends and family to have the mental image of you shaking your tail feather for a group of strangers in a club ... but how about putting a positive spin on *your choice* to pole dance, instead of condemning someone you don't even know? "I pole dance ... it's a great way to connect with my body and get more fit at the same time." "I pole dance at a local studio ... there are so many cool women there and it's a great workout, plus invaluable 'me' time that I wouldn't get at a traditional gym." "I pole dance because I watched a video of Jenyne Butterfly once ... and it took me a week to pick my jaw off the floor." "I pole dance because it's fun and I get to hang upside down like a human bat." Give it up for the causes of kindness and tolerance. Peace out.