Chippendales Are Lobbying Up

When we talk about sex worker rights, we always want to center those who are most marginalized and stigmatized in our society. However, it can sometimes be useful to check in with people who do adult performance that might not consider themselves sex workers in order to think about how we can build coalitions. And that’s why we want to talk to you today about Chippendales, the iconic male dancer troupe who perform for mostly female audiences at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. 

This year, for the first time ever, Chippendales retained the services of a law and lobbying firm. Their goal is lobbying a pandemic-era program for the live event industry. Like many other workers, these dancers have made the shift to online entertainment since the pandemic shutdowns of 2020, launching Chippendales@Home, where they perform strip teases and workout routines over video streaming platforms. The group is arguing they were wrongly deemed ineligible for government relief for small businesses during COVID. Ideally, the dance troupe could use their mainstream success to establish better policy for government assistance to all kinds of adult entertainers.