STRIP CLUB BAN

To our running list of victims of the Arsenal of Exclusion (which includes blacks, the poor, Jews, the homeless, immigrants, teenagers, the disabled, revelers, tourists, farmers, beach-goers, frat boys, straight people, and people without children), we have to include patrons of strip clubs. A great article on Salon called "Taking sex out of the city," describes recent weapons in the war against sex-oriented businesses, including midnight curfews, making it a crime for performers to come within six feet of an audience member, and a nude dancing ban (which could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court). The article is also smart for pointing out an entrenched double-standard: as “neon-signed sleaze-baskets” are increasingly targeted, “sex-positive” boutique establishments like Babeland and the Pleasure Chest get a pass. As the author puts it: "As urban amenities of all types have upscaled, from gyms to coffee shops to cupcake emporiums, so too have sex stores, offering a gentler experience at a premium price."