How many strippers do you think are on the spectrum?

35 comments

• RonJax2

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  6 days ago

  I've read some similar things on reddit recently, basically that "many" strippers are on the spectrum. I don't know a ton about asperger's/autism, but just based on the symptoms you posted, I'm highly skeptical that this is common. Like "resistance to touching", "inability to keep conversation going" or "inability to look or listen". Could one really hack it as a stripper with these impediments? Color me doubtful. I don't think I've ever met a dancer that had those type of impediments. My guess would be that ADHD and BPD (both types I & II) are much more common amongst dancers.
• motorhead

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  6 days ago

  I’m hardly an expert about people on the spectrum. Although I did have a friend’s kid who a teacher suspected Asberger’s at a very early age. The kid must be 35 now, and the last time I saw him a few years back he’s still a really odd duck. I know that’s not politically correct nowadays to say. I don’t think I’ve noticed an autistic dancer - but definitely some with ADHD
• skibum609

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  6 days ago

  Everyone needs a label. Everyone needs an excuse.
• Puddy_Tat

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  6 days ago

  Stripping is inherently a people business. I'd conjecture that being autistic is a distinct disadvantage and they wouldn't last. I'm with @skibum, everyone is on the spectrum nowadays.
• Muddy

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  6 days ago

  RFK talks about this stuff a lot. He feels that in 1989 was the year that a battery of vaccinations was introduced and the autism rate skyrocketed. It’s worth thinking about. Certainly way more autism in Gen Y and Z vs X and boomers.
• Call.Me.Ishmael

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  6 days ago

  I've noticed more people claiming to be on the spectrum in general, but many simply because they read a "You might be autistic if..." article on some click-bait website and not via a medical diagnosis, test, or even a doctor's educated opinion. And I think that's happening because for some people it's easier to claim autism (which allows you to abdicate responsibility for your behavior) versus saying "I'm weird and a little broken." And that's unfortunate, because autism is a real thing and a real struggle for a lot of people. It doesn't do them any favors when a population of people start waving the "autism" flag as an excuse for being sometimes a dick. On another note, I'd like to commend nicespice on starting a topic about autism when the last time she did that it ballooned into a multi-year post that got bumped over 500 times. I feel like we're saying Beetlejuice's name three times...
• Puddy_Tat

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  6 days ago

  @Muddy - RFK is a moron. The vaccines-autism hypothesis is almost as debunked as flat earth. We're discovering a lot more genetic causes of autism that we didn't have the science to discover before.
• Mate27

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  6 days ago

  My experience with strippers is they tend to be overly dramatic, and like hype up the most mundane Of topics. This autism thing is the low hanging fruit where media has spotlighted a big nothing burger. An a similar note, people who use drugs tend to reveal autistic like symptoms!
• Dolfan

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  6 days ago

  I don't know. I kinda agree with ski. I feel like there's a lot of self diagnosis out there for that sort of stuff that isn't terribly reliable. Looking at the list of traits and self identifying or seeing them in someone else is easy. People want the excuse. I can't do x because I have y. It's not my fault. You're an intolerant asshole for expecting me to conform to societal norms. It's a fucking shame, because I don't feel like the whole idea of neurodivergence is a sham and there are certainly people who legitimately suffer, for many of them a with little accommodation they could be more productive members of society than those without those afflictions. But the victim mentality of many distracts from their plight and perpetuates the discrimination and unwillingness to accommodate.
• Book Guy

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  6 days ago

  On the one hand, I think autism and ADHD are over-diagnosed nowadays. A few years back, everybody who had a problematic relationship with a parent called that parent "Narcissistic." Didn't matter if the parent was a shy retiring type who utterly hated their own visual appearance (or, in a ton of other ways, displayed non-Narcissistic behaviors), still the internet-diagnosis as "you are the child of a Narcissistic parent." Similarly, I feel we're now claiming everyone who has a hard time holding down a regular office-bound job must be ADHD and that impulsive irresponsible behavior always counts as "on the spectrum." Most dancers, IMO, probably suffer from something, but the prevalence of ADHD among them is probably no higher or lower than in the general population. On the other hand, some of it seems to fit. I've learned a great deal about ADHD because I've been, at various times, diagnosed with it, though I think (at least, at this juncture) it's inaccurate, and at various other times I've been diagnosed as absolutely not having it. As with many things psychological, most of the diagnosis hinges on self-assessment questionnaires and "inventories" of behavior, so the subjective element can't ever really be eliminated. For dancers, some of it fits -- generally, I think, they're stimulus-seekers, they're probably impulsive, they're uninterested in regular or routine or reliable activities, they can report that their day consists of being in surroundings with bright twinkly lights and loud banging music more often than most people, they don't complete long-term educational projects or fulfill other typical young-adult life-goals as much as many other segments of the population, they're oriented to kinaesthetic (rather than auditory or visual) stimuli, they're impulsive, generally they appear to lack adequate executive function. Some of what I like about strip clubs fulfills my ADHD diagnoses -- the bright lights and the loud music, the short-term and hyper-focused accomplishment of goals (pussy!) rather than the more usual longer-term care-driven and intermittent approach, the extremely shallow and disposable but highly stimulating human interaction, the major sensory impact, the fact that the behavior somehow "feels wrong" but also "feels good" in a way that my own mental executive department cannot override (see recent TUSCL thread on subject of whether or not strip-clubbing might be an addiction). Strip clubbing is a high-stimulus endeavor which gives immediate sensory feedback and does not generally attach an accomplishment-type reward (promotion, recognition, higher grades, peer esteem) to planning or goal-setting. There's not much of a way to upgrade your status or improve your experience by having a three-point plan of action and a set of goals which you divide into sub-goals; rather, the experience is likely to be positive (or negative) on the basis of a one-tier approach without goal or sub-goal setting. I think for me the part where an ADHD diagnosis does fit, is with my disappointment in having a regular job. Observers who are unfamiliar with neurodivergence (or simply scoff at the idea) would say that I, and people like me, simply fail to buckle down and put our big-boy pants on for the purposes of the workplace. But people with my type of neurodivergence (if indeed I do have it) would counter, that although we do know that neurotypical people are also applying a great deal of effort to their own workplace experiences, the effort required of us to have the same level of compliance and accomplishment is actually much greater, to an insurmountable degree. It's just impossible. I have overcome (some) typical workplace challenges through a variety of work-arounds, many of which would be addressing issues similar to what workplace accommodations would address. But mostly, what I've done is live outside conventional norms. I apply a good support system, with family to fall back on, and my own natural talent for schoolwork to the act of getting more and more education (and yes, my procrastination is a major impediment, but by hook and crook and innate recall I have gotten higher degrees even though I delayed many major projects), something which many dancers may be unable to do. I was born male, but my interest in physical fitness when I was younger probably would have put me in the physical category able to be a stripper if I had been female; my parents, not a broken home, directed my energies elsewhere; the girls I meet at strip clubs have neither of those life circumstances. For anyone who thinks ADHDers need to simply try harder, here's a metaphor. It's not like telling Steph Curry to practice jumping more and more and some day, if he puts in the proper effort, he too will be able to dunk a basketball without help. Rather, it's like telling Bill Shoemaker, Laffit Pinkay, or Peter Dinklage, that they just aren't trying hard enough and that's why they can't dunk a basketball without using a trampoline.
• twentyfive

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  6 days ago

  It's getting old, folks saying they're on the spectrum, just a way to avoid responsibility, grow up.
• skibum609

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  6 days ago

  I've been to over 600 IEP meetings for work. I usually sit there thinking my Dad could have solved the behavior issue with a belt or a hickory cane. Back in ancient times we had did have different terminology. ADD today was called the "stupid kid" and ADHD, the stupid out of control kid. Until parents realize that your adult kids liking you and wanting to spend time with you as "friends" is fine, but your young kids thinking of you as their 'friend" means you are the worst parent possible, we are going to have issues. Children need to be told what to do. Innately they WANT to be told what to do. The childrearing system fails when parents want their kids to like them. My Mom always had the greatest speech when she was accused of not being loved or liked: "I don't care if you like me or hate me. I'm not one of your little friends. I will tell you what to do and you will do it. You do it not because you love me, not because you like me and not because you want to. You do it because I am your goddamn Mother, and you will do as I tell you for as long as you want to live here. Don't like it? Get your own place and tell me what to do."
• 5footguy

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  6 days ago

  " Peter Dinklage, that they just aren't trying hard enough and that's why they can't dunk a basketball without using a trampoline." One is a matter of a less than ideal mental state, while another is a true physical impossibility. Threaten those short people with their life, and they still could not jump very high. Threaten a kid who can't concentrate on something with his life (or, no video games for a week), and I suspect he might be able to come around to it. Both are handicaps. One is more limiting physically than the other is mentally.
• Studme53

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  5 days ago

  We have a family friend with autism. Intelligent attractive woman in her 30s. Can’t make eye contact or really talk to anyone besides family. From a great family. Her mother said she showed no signs of autism until she was about 4 years old. No known cause. Her sister, 2 years younger who looks like twin, had same vaccines, etc. is perfectly normal. Mysterious affliction.
• ilbbaicnl

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  5 days ago

  In my limited experience with highly autistic people, they wouldn't really get it why it was better to come home from work with $1,000 versus $100. I don't think someone like that would be motivated to be a lap dancer. Only once was I the regular of a dancer who was reserved or introverted with me. She did seem to have autistic tendencies. She was studying to be a surgical assistant, which requires becoming familiar with hundreds of pieces of equipment, and it came very easy to her. Her 5-year-old daughter was in pee wee soccer, and she was very concerned that her daughter thought kicking the ball was the same as scoring a goal. She was obsessive and pushed herself when it came to poll work, even though she had back problems. When she got hired as a surgical assistant, and was dancing her last shifts, I was trying to convince her to go easy on the poll, so she wouldn't throw out her back, and miss her first day at the new job. She didn't seem concerned. With the other introverted strippers I've come in contact with, they either got comfortable with me, or I didn't interact with them enough to know more about what their deal was. How do you know if a stripper has ADHD? I guess it would be hard to be a long-game manipulative stripper if you have ADHD. But it seems to be a minority of people who are interested in being that manipulative, ADHD or not. I'm in touch with a former fav, who says she's on the spectrum and has ADHD. But she does a lot of sophisticated artwork/handcrafts, could you do that with ADHD? She's not super sociable, but I think that's mostly because she's hot tempered and opinionated, and she wears people out fast. She had a horrendous childhood. She seems more comfortable with thinking that some sort of syndrome causes her negative emotions, rather than just plain terrible memories.
• shailynn

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  5 days ago

  This topic was made for Icee. Damn shame he’s not around here to let us know how he feels. People label themselves and their kids way too freely these days. “There’s nothing wrong with your kid. You just want to label him so he has an excuse for his shortcomings.” I do agree Nicespice and Muddy are probably autistic.
• Manuellabore

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  5 days ago

  I'm no occupational therapist. I go to the SC for fun. If I encounter a dancer manifesting the traits listed, I'm not diagnosing them, beyond assuming there may be an issue with alcohol or drugs. I just move on post haste. The dancers I enjoy and seek out for repeat encounters have their issues (as do I) but, unsurprisingly, don't fit a lay person's impression of being "on the spectrum".
• Brahma2k

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  5 days ago

  Strippers experience a massive unbalance of sexual attention and sexual power. Additionally they are frequently connecting that power to hyperactive quasi-unlimited money earning. Add in liquor, pot, hard drugs. Add in exposure to this for a time span of years. Ultimately There’s close to no chance this won’t materially effect someone mentally. It’s unlikely autism, it’s more likely a combination of attention deficit and narcissism.
• WiseToo

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  5 days ago

  I experienced just one dancer who was on the spectrum. I got a lap dance from her without first getting to know her a little better. That was my mistake. The dance began and she kept repeating a couple of movements which became very annoying. I mentioned that I would like her to turn around and dance. She seemed to ignore or not be concerned that I found her dancing uncomfortable. I asked again and she briefly turned around and said something like, "all my customers like my dancing." And made a cryptic remark. "What you want to look at me?" I had about a 20 second respite and she then went right back doing what I didn't like. At the end of the dance I felt like telling her fuck you, but in my better judgment I bit my tongue.
• Muddy

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  5 days ago

  Question: Is Ghetto Biaaatch a form autism? Where on the scale would that land?
• PAWG_Patrol

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  5 days ago

  One of my CFs always talks about anime so maybe her lol But in all honesty I think a lot of Gen Z girls just like to "identify as" neurodivergent or queer or whatever just to spice up their boring ass middle class upbringing 😂
• 5footguy

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  5 days ago

  "she then went right back doing what I didn't like. At the end of the dance I felt like telling her fuck you, but in my better judgment I bit my tongue." Occasionally when a dance just isn't doing it for me, no connection, not the right grind, or whatever, in the middle of the song I'll just tap her indicating she should dismount, and I say "thank you baby" and pull out what I owe her. Nothing personal, not mad, just not a good fit for me, have a good day.
• captainfun

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  5 days ago

  Among hundreds of dances over the years I’ve experienced zero correlation between strippers and behaviors that are commonly associated with autism.
• TheeOSU

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  5 days ago

  'On another note, I'd like to commend nicespice on starting a topic about autism when the last time she did that it ballooned into a multi-year post that got bumped over 500 times. I feel like we're saying Beetlejuice's name three times...' ^ Lol!!! I don't think I posted in that thread, I do recall that I stopped reading it after a couple days because of that creepy fuck taking it over but i just now took a quick look at it. I just skimmed through a few of the last posts that I never saw before and in hindsight it's actually funny how that creep was so obsessed with posting in it. Having said that, although it's funny in small doses as a look back at what we dealt with when he and icey were around I'm thankful to the internet gods that they have both vanished. For anyone that needs a reminder or never dealt with those two fools... [view link]
• Jascoi

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  4 days ago

  i think i might be a bit autistic. and maybe a bit ADHD too. and now at 74 i'm forgeting things. and also something else... what was it???
• Jascoi

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  4 days ago

  oh yeah. ED.
• JamesSD

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  4 days ago

  A lot of strippers did poorly in school, aren't stupid, and are some degree of sexually impulsive and enjoy drugs and alcohol more than average. That does seem like ADHD more than ASD. I can see where stripping is a good job for ADHD women. It's not boring, and you don't normally get fired for not showing up, and can use substances on the job.
• JamesSD

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  4 days ago

  I actually think strippers are more likely to be misanthropic or narcissistic than autistic.
• Rightfield

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  4 days ago

  Some good insight, James. I would also say autism wouldn't seem to align with the tease and subterfuge of dancing. Seriously, it seems an autistic woman would understand the role of a prostitute better. Less deceit involved, and a straightforward transaction. Also, she may have less comprehension of why paid sex acts would be considered "wrong".
• ilbbaicnl

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  4 days ago

  My fav who may have been on the spectrum was at the perfect sweet spot between toned and muscle-bound. Her natural DD boobs were second to none. Her boobs were particularly striking, because she had a medium rather than a stockier build. Advantages she needed, as her affect was similar to Clint Eastwood in High Plains Drifter.
• nicespice

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  3 days ago

  Yeah, I guess I wouldn’t say that the amount of autistic strippers are zero, but that one comment the other day about essentially finding a whole social group had me side eyeing. By CDC statistics, 1 out of 45 adults are estimated to have autism. Males are 4 times more likely to be diagnosed than females, so roughly speaking that’s about 1 out of 180 women in general. And idk about gender breakdowns, but when it comes to high school graduation stats, about 20% will graduate with a certificate instead of a diploma. Certificate tracks usually indicates a more severe type of disability that may prevent them from following the basic expectations of the club, especially when clubs aren’t exactly ADA friendly. And then of course, it gets even rarer because you have to eliminate the adult women who don’t fit the aesthetic standards any club has. I’m not sure what % that would be. Even if diagnosis are being underreported, it’s still probably safe that the chances are less than 1%. I was personally screened for autism when I was a child, and came up negative for it. But I do have a family history with it and have met many autistic people before. And the vibes are just off. (I do have an ADHD diagnosis though, so I’m plenty neurodivergent 😁) I could see certain clubs having appeal for those on the spectrum, but they probably wouldn’t be for clubs that have the glamorous 4 figure rooms. So those strippers would probably be at the laid back smaller clubs. But @rightfield made a good point that full service sex work would be something more likely. Ilbai’s description with the Clint Eastwood imagery is hilarious. I hope the like button comes back. 😂 As far as SJG…I don’t think that individual is returning. Not even the Testosterone Lifeboat forum has been posted on. I remember the very last PM I received from him had nice phrasing but it was to the effect of “get over it if I keep posting on your thread about neurodivergence”. The disappearance is probably for a sad reason though 🙁 But it sounds like the consensus is that autistic strippers are probably not that prevalent, even if it may be slightly (but only slightly) more likely for those below a certain age. That’s good, because I was seriously wondering “am I missing something” lol
• Book Guy

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  3 days ago

  At a "lingerie modeling" place in Houston about fifteen or twenty years ago I chose a girl from the line-up who turned out to be definitely autistic. Her interactions, her verbal style, her demeanor entirely gave away the fact, I have no doubt. But it wasn't a poor choice. She was up front and rational about everything, she explicitly described services at dollar amounts without hesitation, she had no reticence about adding or changing behaviors, basically she was a fine "scientist" about her "ministrations" to the patient. I'd see her again (except it's been so long). I think she probably was among the less favored girls because most guys would be put off by her demeanor, but what the hey I got a good FS session for the right price! I do find the comments convincing, that Autism may be unlikely because the sales maneuvers on the floor for strippers require a lot of interpersonal subtlety, in reading and in performing for the customer. You have to know small social cues and not get them particularly wrong or you won't ever get started making money. As I understand it, Autistic people are likely to lack exactly those skills.
• ilbbaicnl

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  3 days ago

  Is Book Guy neurodivergent? We need a diagnosis from Dr. nicespice.
• nicespice

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  3 days ago

  ^Apparently Book Guy has been sometimes diagnosed with ADHD and sometimes not. So I guess flip a coin and that’s the answer.
• ilbbaicnl

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  2 days ago

  But keep in mind Dr. nicespice does get it wrong sometimes. [view link]