Confidence or Disrespect?
Contrastingly, some women feel that Burlesque is demeaning and disrespectful to the female gender. Those women against Burlesque, feel that performers are allowing men to focus on the female's body rather than the intellect she has to offer. Burlesque is centered on the female body and the pleasure of a man.
In the Charles H. McCaghy collection, anonymous performers were interviewed about all aspects of the Burlesque profession. Many performers revealed that they have gained confidence throughout their years as performers. They enjoy the control they have over their body and the impact performers can make on the audience members through their movement and voice. In a 2014 BBC article, Elize Delite, a rising international Burlesque performer, states "It's about what you are NOT showing, and teasing the audience with fabric and costumes." (QUOTE). The art form is not centered on becoming naked but more the power and process of removing clothing. Many performers do not get completely nude until the last scene of an act or performance. Since the beginning of Burlesque, comedy has been the foundation of Burlesque, not stripping. An Article in the Los Angeles Times in 1967 quotes Ann Corio, a performer credited with the revival of Burlesque, stating ""Comedy,"...always has been the heart of Burlesque, a highly respectable form of entertainment a hundred years ago. The stripping came later" (QUOTE). The foundation of Burlesque is in the voice of the performer and the comedy throughout the show and acts, not the stripping aspect.
In the McCaghy collection, roughly 50% of the performers interviewed shared their career with their family, friends, and significant others with support. They are not ashamed to talk about their career choices and do not feel there is anything morally wrong with being a Burlesque performer. In the interviews many of the anonymous performers discuss that they are able to make a lot more money being in show business than they would working other female typical jobs (factory worker, secretary, teacher, etc.). The performers stated making $250-$500 a week depending on their skill level, experience, and location. These women performers feel that they are pursuing a career to provide for themselves and their families.
Some women feel that Burlesque is a demeaning art form that poorly portrays the female gender. From their point of view, Burlesque was for the pleasure of men. Promotional activity was presented primarily to the male audience through magazines, and tobacco cards. The promotional pictures portray females in revealing clothing that would catch the male gaze. Many women felt that Burlesque dancer's did not support their woman equality messages because these women were making money off their body and nudity only. Women against Burlesque felt dancers did not need their brain or intellect to be a Burlesque performer. They did not see Burlesque as an art form that took training, skill, or knowledge. Burlesque was often associated with prostitution and making money with the body.
There has been laws created that censor Burlesque and censorship efforts to stop the art form. One example, Susan Press, a labour politician, bans a Burlesque show from being performed in a public venue. She states, "The portrayal of women in this type of show is something we fought against a generation ago," and also that "my committee took the view that a burlesque entertainment wasn't an appropriate use of a public building, and it would cause offence to a significant part of the community." (QUOTE). Many Burlesque performers were outraged that their art form was able to be censored and feel that this is just the beginning of what could become larger censorship.
Obscenity laws are often brought up in response to Burlesque. These laws make is illegal to engage in the business of selling obscene matter. It is very vague what qualifies as "obscene matter" but Burlesque is said to sometimes fit the description. Many times Burlesque performers or managers have been arrested and sometimes venues were even shut down in the past. Police have been a part of Burlesque history and the censorship of Burlesque materials will continue to be debated into the future.