Pole Dancing Ban Is “Completely Wrong”

Nottingham’s Pole Dance Society have reacted angrily to the news that Swansea University have banned their pole fitness society because they believe “it is a direct spin off from lap dancing.”

Does pole dancing objectify women?

Alanah Davis, Pole Dance Society’s Publicity Secretary, has said that the Swansea Union board “could not be less informed” after they claimed that pole dancing objectifies women and encourages “Raunch Culture”.

“The fact that they say pole is a ‘direct spin-off’ from lap dancing is completely wrong.” Says Davis.

“Pole dance as a sport/dance form comes from things like Chinese Pole, which is 100% athletic and is usually men.

“Pole dance at a class for fitness is never, ever explicitly sexual. Things might happen to look sexy as a result of how graceful and nice the girls (and guys!) look doing certain moves, but that’s as far as it goes.

Other forms of dance make the dancers look elegant, so why can’t pole do that too without being linked to the sex industry?”

Is this upholding sexist behaviours?

Swansea’s Student Board have stated that pole dancing “is inextricably linked to the multi-million-pound sex industry and upholds and bolsters sexist attitudes and behaviours.”

The UoN Feminists Society have also been critical of the ban. They said: “The line between oppressing and oppressed is a difficult one to tread but this problem cannot be solved by ridding people of their expressions, especially in the form of a society which brings people together through its love for the art.”