Strippers’ Bill of Rights Asks: More Security, Less Wage Theft

The State of Washington is close to passing a "Strippers Bill of Rights" in the legislature. 

SB 6105 would strive to create safer working conditions in adult entertainment establishments.

History of the Bill

 The Bill was first read in January and then referred to a Committee on Labor & Commerce. The Bill passed the State Senate and is up for debate in the House. The Bill results from adult entertainers in the industry claiming that Washington State lacks safety protocols in clubs to protect the dancers. 

Strippers Bill of Rights

The Bill highlights and introduces protections for dancers at the clubs. In summary, the Bill would: 

• Require clubs to put keypad locks on dressing room doors.
• Require staff training on ways to prevent sexual harassment and assault, 
• The de-escelation of tense situations.
• Limit the fees that clubs could charge performers. 

A look at the full Bill can be seen here

The Need for a Stippers Bill of Rights in Washington State

According to dancers across Washington State, the Bill of Rights is needed and long overdue. In an article by KOUW. Madison Zack-Wu, a dancer herself, said that issues arose from clubs trying to make money on slow nights. "I experienced multiple instances of it being slow, and management encouraging me to work with customers that were known to be harmful and violent even," Zack-Wu said. "There was pressure to dance with them," she told KOUW. 

Kasey Champion, a retired dancer after 14 years added in that KOUW piece that charging fees to dancers was becoming problematic, and the Bill would help cap some of the more expensive costs in the form of stage rent and other charges. 

"You essentially get to the situation where you're paying for everything," she said. Champion said. "You're paying to tip the bartender, and you're paying the security guard, so he'll walk you to your car … you're literally paying the club for protection when you're already paying exorbitant fees just to get into the building to 'rent' your space."

Bill Status

The status of the Bill can be viewed here.