I want to see you DANCE, naked ladies!

Ford: Why do we suppress nude dancing?
Having laws against expressing beauty actually hurts women

When the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently and temporarily lifted Michigan's ban of allowing fully nude bars to serve alcohol, it served as a landmark decision that should help to strengthen women's rights well into the future.

Perhaps I'm one of the last true feminists, but our traditionally male-dominated society should immediately take a good look at itself and quit trying to shame women into being second-class citizens. Instead of making women feel ashamed of themselves by creating laws that forbid the exposure and expression of their natural beauty, we should realize the female body should be celebrated - not suppressed.

Think about it for a moment. Why is it perfectly legal for a 350-pound man (with breasts far larger than most females) to walk around on a hot and humid day without a shirt on, but if a woman does the exact same thing to cool herself off (or to breast feed her baby), she will be arrested for indecent exposure? Does that seem fair to you?

And what precisely is it that makes a woman's nude body indecent? The female body parts that must remain covered are also the exact same body parts that spring forth life, and can suckle and sustain life for a prolonged period of time. Not only is that perfectly decent- it is positively miraculous!

We should all look forward to the day when Americans can enjoy the same God-given freedom to walk around naturally just like many Africans do. But until that day arrives, we can still enjoy some of that liberty in nude and topless bars.

And let's quickly set aside some falsehoods concerning these adult entertainment establishments.

For one thing, they do not exploit women. In fact, many dancers can brag of earning more than several hundred dollars during a single hour of work. Since we live in a society where women only earn 70 percent of the wages that a male earns, I believe that is something to be proud of.

Also, these women are often intelligent and loving single mothers who are trying to provide the best life possible for their families, and quite a few are college students who are trying to improve their lives despite rising tuition costs.

Exotic dancers should never receive our scorn. They only deserve our respect and admiration. They make our world better through both their captivating performances on stage, and also by providing some innocent companionship and joy for men and women who feel like treating themselves to a special night out.

As a male who is truly a devout feminist, I fully support a woman's right to choose her own career and to earn far more money than most men will ever make.

Let's all celebrate the fact that we live in a state where we can now go out and enjoy a good drink (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) and some first-class adult


This is beautiful. I concur. And I am glad established, reputable media outlets are allowing this mentality to show. (well, the lansing journal, but it's a start!)