“No justice, no booty!” Portland strippers march for equal scheduling of Black dancers

quote:

---

“No justice, no booty!” was one of the rallying cries during a PDX Stripper Strike protest on Wednesday afternoon.

About 100 people gathered for the event, which marched along Southeast Stark Avenue in the Montavilla neighborhood past two strip clubs, Club 205 and The Venue Gentlemen’s Club.

At least two of the protesters walked a mile and a half in platform stiletto heels.

Cat Hollis, lead coordinator with the Haymarket Pole Collective, which works to implement anti-discrimination policies in the adult industry, delivered letters of demands to both clubs. The protesters want all Portland clubs to provide cultural sensitivity training for employees and offer more equitable scheduling for dancers of color.

---

quote:

---

Issues of racial discrimination extend to musical choices.

“We have clubs that will tell us we’re not allowed to play hiphop or rap music, but will allow white dancers or dancers of lighter complexion to do that,” she said. “We’re always told it attracts ‘the wrong crowd’ – the wrong crowd most likely being people who look like me.”

---

quote:

---

“We don’t want any work stoppages at clubs that are actively trying to improve themselves,” Hollis said. “Go out to clubs, throw some money on butts, especially Black butts. We’ve been systemically disenfranchised, and what we’re trying to do here is make sure people hear us this time.”

---