CharlotteNCguy
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SAN ANTONIO - Strippers in this city will soon have to put on something they can't take off — a business license.
The City Council on Friday approved a measure requiring exotic dancers to apply for permits and wear them while performing.
Law enforcement authorities said the rule, which was unanimously approved by the 11-member council and goes into effect in 10 days, will allow them to quickly identify those dancers who are breaking nudity ordinances. (Among other things, full nudity and contact with customers are not allowed in San Antonio strip clubs.)
"We're trying to reduce criminal activity inside the establishments on the part of the entertainers, i.e., prostitution," said Lt. Mike Gorhum, who heads the vice squad.
The permit — expected to be roughly half the size of a credit card — would include the dancer's stage name and a photo. Police would be able to check that information against club records to determine her real name and other personal data.
"I really don't know where we're supposed to place it," complained a dancer who calls herself Tempest. "It's definitely going to get in the way of our performing, and it might just look a little bit tacky."
Gorhum said it is up to the dancers where they wear the permits, as long as they are in plain sight. "It can be on the wrist or the ankle, or something like that," he said.
The new rule also mandates a 3-foot space between dancers and patrons to ensure no touching during table dances. Such contact is already banned, though violations are not uncommon.
Jim Deegear, an attorney for a number of San Antonio strip clubs, said complying with the space rule will require clubs to reduce the number of tables, and thus the number of customers.
"It's really going to cut into the revenue of my clients, which I think is the real purpose," said Deegear, who plans to the fight the rules in court. "They can't legally say, 'We want to run these people out of business.'"
Tempest said wearing a permit might give away too much information to the customers. "What scares me is we do get a lot of these guys taking it too far — they forget that this is just entertainment," she said. "How do we know that these guys are not going to try to obtain very personal information about us?"
The City Council on Friday approved a measure requiring exotic dancers to apply for permits and wear them while performing.
Law enforcement authorities said the rule, which was unanimously approved by the 11-member council and goes into effect in 10 days, will allow them to quickly identify those dancers who are breaking nudity ordinances. (Among other things, full nudity and contact with customers are not allowed in San Antonio strip clubs.)
"We're trying to reduce criminal activity inside the establishments on the part of the entertainers, i.e., prostitution," said Lt. Mike Gorhum, who heads the vice squad.
The permit — expected to be roughly half the size of a credit card — would include the dancer's stage name and a photo. Police would be able to check that information against club records to determine her real name and other personal data.
"I really don't know where we're supposed to place it," complained a dancer who calls herself Tempest. "It's definitely going to get in the way of our performing, and it might just look a little bit tacky."
Gorhum said it is up to the dancers where they wear the permits, as long as they are in plain sight. "It can be on the wrist or the ankle, or something like that," he said.
The new rule also mandates a 3-foot space between dancers and patrons to ensure no touching during table dances. Such contact is already banned, though violations are not uncommon.
Jim Deegear, an attorney for a number of San Antonio strip clubs, said complying with the space rule will require clubs to reduce the number of tables, and thus the number of customers.
"It's really going to cut into the revenue of my clients, which I think is the real purpose," said Deegear, who plans to the fight the rules in court. "They can't legally say, 'We want to run these people out of business.'"
Tempest said wearing a permit might give away too much information to the customers. "What scares me is we do get a lot of these guys taking it too far — they forget that this is just entertainment," she said. "How do we know that these guys are not going to try to obtain very personal information about us?"
