If it were a horizontal bar men, women and children would marvel at her skill, people of all walks of life would buy tickets to watch her fly and see her twirl in the air like a leaf in the wind.
If she danced on a horizontal bar and a little girl saw and smiled and said she wanted to be just as skilled someday... no one would think that was shameful.
If it were a horizontal bar she would have corporate sponsors, she be on cereal boxes, she would sign autographs and when she retired people would pay her to teach their children to fly the way she did on her bar.
If it were a horizontal bar people would respect her not in spite of her profession but because of it. She would be featured in commercials for protein shakes and sports drinks. They would put her on posters with basket ball players and ice skaters as a proud representative of her nation.
No one would say that she should have learned a trade. No one would say she should get a 'real job' no one would point to the fact that she dances on a horizontal bar if she should feel offended by a sexually charged comment, offer, or action.
If she had a child and decided to return to work no one would think badly of her. If she suffered a career ending injury people would say how terrible it was that she could no longer do what she'd worked so hard to perfect.
People would acknowledge her effort she would be an athlete. If she produced a work out DVD no one wold giggle and whisper about it. No one would be surprised and shocked to find it in their mothers entertainment center. No one would need to be 'open minded' to appreciate her.
But that isn't a horizontal bar.
Its a vertical pole. So it doesn't matter how good she is how flawless her performance some will still believe she is less than a gymnast its okay to say things to and about her that one would never dream of saying about a figure skater.
Its a vertical pole so its okay to say that her parents must have done something wrong, It's impossible for her to enjoy her work because her pole travels from ceiling to floor instead of from wall to wall? Because her pole is vertical she is being exploited, she's simply too brain washed to realize that she would be much happier and respect herself so much more if she worked in an office instead of on a stage. If she is ridiculed mocked and insulted she shouldn't be surprised, after all it comes with the territory.
Because her pole is vertical her outfit is trashy. Perhaps it's the shoes, would it matter if she took them off? not really, she'd still be objectifying herself on a vertical pole.
How very odd that if she had learned to swing instead of climb she could expect the same respect and protection as any other athlete.
Dancer: Jenyne Butterfly. Words: Nurdy.
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