Sex Worker Privacy: Strippers Have Personal Lives, Too

Strippers and sex workers have personal lives and need privacy, too.

Do you enjoy your privacy? Cool, I do, too. Actually, I think most everyone does. And by everyone, I’m including sex workers and strippers because, you know, they are hard-working people with personal lives outside of work.

A few months ago, XOJane posted an article that detailed one very misguided and foolish man’s crusade to save sex workers and nude dancers via prayers… and their personal information.

Ha. Ah, hahahaha. Sorry, the mere insanity of this strange fellow’s request distracted me. Let me back up…

So, there’s this guy, David Allen Van Fleet, an engineer, who resides in Tacoma, Washington. Van Fleet, or as I’ll refer to him form this point on — Van Creep — says that:

all he wants to do is bring on a little godliness in Washington State, but for that, he needs the information kept on file at country clerks’ offices, courtesy of the requirement that adult entertainers register and receive a license.”

Hmmm. Problematic, much?

Luckily, in this case, Van Creep wasn’t permitted access to the information. But the real problem here is that Washington actually requires nude dancers to have a license to “practice” in the state. The fee is $75 a year and puts their personal lives at risk.

Asking sex workers and strippers to register for licenses is not only bonkers, but it’s dangerous. This database contains these workers’ personal information, which includes their “legal names, birth dates, addresses, and contact information.” Anyone can get this information because of the Freedom of Information Act request, which requires clerks “to turn information over unless a court injunction prohibits it.”

While people with common sense understand that nude dancers and sex workers want to keep their information and personal lives private, other not-so-balanced people just don’t get it. In fact, some news publications assume that sex workers are peeved about the license (and their private information becoming public information) because they are embarrassed or ashamed of their work.

No.

Nude dancers and sex workers don’t want to be tracked because it puts them and their families as risk. It’s common sense.

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Image: Alexis

Abbie Stutzer

Writer, editor, and owner of Ginchy!, a freelance writing and editing company, and home funeral hub. Adores smart sex ed, sustainable ag, spooky history, women's health, feminism, horror, wine, and sci-fi.