ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses the variation between the venues and the labour they require, to emphasize and do justice to the ambivalences and uneven geographies within the landscape of striptease in the UK. It explains that regulation of the striptease industry has taken the form of 'empty shell' licensing, in which some elements of erotic dance are highly regulated, while the exploitation of dancers and regulation of their working conditions remains outside legal frameworks. The book describes the voice of dancers, demonstrate the dancer's political awareness of the politics surrounding erotic dance and illustrate that they actively reject the dominant feminist narrative, constructing their own feminist analyses of the politics. It talks about the legal reforms and the framework of Sexual Entertainment Venue policy which governs striptease venues, as well as how local authorities have responded and the new legislation consequence to dancers working conditions.
