It appears that while there are a few scattered strip clubs in Illinois, Illinois has the most restrictive strip club laws in North America. And that means very literally; the USA, Canada, and Mexico. For instance, in Illinois, there is a law requiring strippers and customers to maintain a minimum distance of 15 feet. Touching is punishable by 75 years to life in prison and then the requirement to register as a sex offender every 2 weeks for the rest of your life if you get released alive. Strippers are required to wear those X things on their nipples at all times. Male customers are required to wear long jeans that are non stretchable. Approaching within less than 15 feet is punishable by up to 50 years in prison. Worse still, during lap dances, oh pardon me, air dances, male customers with a female stripper have their hands handcuffed behind their backs and their legs shackled to the floor.
Of course it's real and not fiction. Washington Park is a perfect example of these extremely severe restrictions. I know you are a lawyer, Smokeybear, and I promise to hire you when I commit my next felony.
@smokeybear Did you get this information from a dancer in Missouri?
A quick look at the TUSCL U.S.A. clubs page indicates there are 73 clubs in Illinois, and that makes it the 10th most clubbed state - not really "a few scattered". Of course, if you were comparing strip club locations to McDonald's, the clubs probably would be fewer and more scattered.
I think the law prohibits lap dances within 15 feet of a church or school. The "touching" punishment is correct, but it pertains only to situations where the touching directly results in the death of the touchee, even if it happens within 15 feet of a church or school. ROB's beware....
Those "X things" are the logo for the breast cancer awareness program; they are optional and they are pink.
The requirement for male customers wearing long, non-stretchable jeans is not enforced in some parts of Illinois. For example, in St. Clair County (aka ESL), dancers are required to "palpitate the package area" so as to identify pants that look like they could be uncomfortable. Wearers of such "uncomfortable looking pants" are to be ushered to the VIP section where the pants can be unzipped and the package unwrapped in order to relieve discomfort.
There actually was a handcuff and shackle requirement for male customers with female strippers up until the mid 1880's when it was repealed. Good thing...can you imagine being in the middle of a lap dance in Washington Park when the club decides to catch fire and burn to the ground.
There is a companion to that law that relates to male customers with male strippers which was not repealed.
Thanks smokeybear for raising this topic, and remember what it says down at the bottom of the page!
We have the pasties covering the nipples here in columbus...but 90 minutes away in dayton they are not used even though it is suppose to be a state law.
The Ohio law only requires pasties on clubs that serve Alcohol. Some parts of the state, like Dayton, ignore it because of several lawsuits against the law. Also the current officials in Dayton think it's a waste of time to worry about. Not sure what will happen next year when things change because of the Republican sweep.
Columbus requires it because it's the state capital, and gets a lot more scrutiny by the various cooks. The northern part of the state has always ignored the laws, especially in and near Cleveland where several of the clubs are run by the mob and a lowly liquor control agent doesn't want to piss off the wrong person's nephew.
I haven't seen any of those things enforced in Illinois, except for at the Deja Vu in Springfield. That place is air dance city and the stage is ten feet from where the tippers sit.
There is no such law in Illinois and hopefully there won't ever be one. The Illinois state laws concerning strip clubs are mostly ones governing their location. Strip clubs and other "adult entertainment" venues are supposed to be a certain distance away from churches, cemeteries, schools, and parks. The regulation of "adult use" or "adult entertainment" has traditionally been at the local municipal and county level and will hopefully continue to be so. State law gives the local governments the power to regulate these businesses as the locals see fit. So some towns and counties pass very restrictive laws and others such as Washington Park do not.
The State laws for strip clubs in Illinois mentioned here are not distance between a lap dance and a school, church, etc. What the law in Illinois says specifically is that dancers are to maintain a minimum distance of 15 feet away from their customers. This is for within the strip club! It does not mean "15 feet minimum away from schools and churches" and the like. It means 15 feet minimum between the dancer and the customer.
Smokeybear - there is no such state law in Illinois. Look at the Illinois Compiled Statutes and you will find no such law. There are some local laws that have a minimum distance provision, though I've never heard of one being 15 feet, but there is no such state law.
Your statement about Illinois State Strip Club Laws, is ridiculous and wrong, in every way. I have lived in Illinois (Chicago Subs) for nearly 20 years now, I have frequented most clubs in the central & north east of the state, and can say with out a doubt you know nothing about the Illinois Statute.
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A quick look at the TUSCL U.S.A. clubs page indicates there are 73 clubs in Illinois, and that makes it the 10th most clubbed state - not really "a few scattered". Of course, if you were comparing strip club locations to McDonald's, the clubs probably would be fewer and more scattered.
I think the law prohibits lap dances within 15 feet of a church or school. The "touching" punishment is correct, but it pertains only to situations where the touching directly results in the death of the touchee, even if it happens within 15 feet of a church or school. ROB's beware....
Those "X things" are the logo for the breast cancer awareness program; they are optional and they are pink.
The requirement for male customers wearing long, non-stretchable jeans is not enforced in some parts of Illinois. For example, in St. Clair County (aka ESL), dancers are required to "palpitate the package area" so as to identify pants that look like they could be uncomfortable. Wearers of such "uncomfortable looking pants" are to be ushered to the VIP section where the pants can be unzipped and the package unwrapped in order to relieve discomfort.
There actually was a handcuff and shackle requirement for male customers with female strippers up until the mid 1880's when it was repealed. Good thing...can you imagine being in the middle of a lap dance in Washington Park when the club decides to catch fire and burn to the ground.
There is a companion to that law that relates to male customers with male strippers which was not repealed.
Thanks smokeybear for raising this topic, and remember what it says down at the bottom of the page!
Columbus requires it because it's the state capital, and gets a lot more scrutiny by the various cooks. The northern part of the state has always ignored the laws, especially in and near Cleveland where several of the clubs are run by the mob and a lowly liquor control agent doesn't want to piss off the wrong person's nephew.
Your statement about Illinois State Strip Club Laws, is ridiculous and wrong, in every way. I have lived in Illinois (Chicago Subs) for nearly 20 years now, I have frequented most clubs in the central & north east of the state, and can say with out a doubt you know nothing about the Illinois Statute.