Stripping is the toughest job you’ll ever love (sorry, Peace Corps). So say these dedicated dancers—no filter, no bullshit, in their own words. Forget the stereotypes, the punch lines, the assumptions. It’s time to listen to what these hardworking warriors have to say. From marriage counseling to no-mercy nipple torture, strippers are the heroes we need. And every hero has a story.
Photo by Pablo B.
Amy Monroe
Montreal, Quebec
Instagram: @InkedHumanMermaid
Amy the Inked Human Mermaid is a spectacular four-stage firework living her best damn life in Montreal. She’s been stripping for six years now and wouldn’t trade her precious day shifts for all the vodka in Russia (well, maybe). Her prime directive: Have fun, and be weird.
The secret life of mermaids. “What do you do for a living?” is a delicate question. If you’re an Instagram follower, you’ll get the truth. If you’re someone in my class, odds are you’re going to get a lie. Long story short, I’m a stripper/exotic dancer. I’ve been showing my ass in tiny micro G-strings for years now. Daytime shift on top of that!
I’m an exhibitionist who loves to play with a person’s mind, and showing off my half-naked body to strangers satisfies these twin desires. Daytime stripping is actually really fun if you like talking to people and getting drunk during the day (which I love). It’s not rare that I leave work at 7 p.m. tipsy and happy.
Perks of the gig. I always try to have a friend on the same schedule as me so we can offer lesbian shows. Convincing people they should spend a bunch of money to see me sit on my friend’s face is one of my many talents. One time we decided it would be a great idea to pour a vodka shot in my pussy so she could drink it from inside me. After the show, I couldn’t walk straight but could still think clearly. It was the weirdest feeling, and I do not recommend it.
