INTERVIEW-GUIDE QUESTIONS

I SELL MY TALENT, NOT MY BODY

UNRAVELING THE IMPRINT DIGNITY OF A NOBLE STRIPPER:

A NARRATIVE STUDY

1. What are the narratives of the noble strippers?

1.1 What motivated you to become a stripper in the first place?
- I have two beautiful daughter and I was single mom na since 8 years ago so I started
pole dancing for the last 7 and a half year and I need to decide what to do para hindi
magutom yung mga anak ko and I don’t have choice na because my last partner we
separated because you know like we are both young and ayun hindi sya healthy for two
kids so we need to decide to separate kasi wala din siyang work so hindi ganon kami ka
yaman and maaga ako naka pag asawa. So when I deliver my two children hindi ko
alam ano gagawin ko. I try to do call center but that was the time na 12 thousand lang
per month yung call center and I need to feed two baby. So my friend told me if I want to
do modeling so nag model ako thomas moreto sa taguig nag model ako sa makati and I
saw a girl standing in a pole and then I said na “ shet ang ganda niya doon beautiful
siya doon” and then I was like I think that moment I root na gusto kong gawin yun. I
don’t know exactly the consequences kung ano mangyayari and I just knew on that
exact moment when I do the modeling I saw that girl dancing in the pole and I was like I
wanna be that. So na learn ko na love ko yung stripping im not really nude but I do T-
back I do sexy costumes and because pole you don’t need to much clothes. Until today
even some people don’t understand why I only do panty or t-back or bra but they don’t
know I need my skin to make sure that I can work on pole I look like that super stripper.
1.2 What factors influenced your decision to continue working as a stripper?
- the story of life of your co-workers not just we dance everyday but also the story of
their life like knowing why they do it also, some of my co-workers yung anak nila may
sakit yung tatay nila may sakit are they need to make payment for their school kase
minsan may naka trabaho ako na nag tatrabaho siya sa gabi stripping sa umaga nag-
aaral siya sa university so I totally respect those kind of ladies na hanggang ngayon
kaibigan ko pa rin sil. So, for me it influence me a lot not to think that what I do is bad
but what I do is for the love of my family for the love of my children also for the love of
your co-workers kase iba-iba kami ng dahilan kung bakit namin ginagawa ang bagay na
yun kahit binabastos na kami or like some people want to buy us or some people
minsan may mga time na binibigyan kami ng card like the bank card and then how
much and then we just shut it up and then we are just here for entertainment not for
sexual. So, minsan may mga time na sabay-sabay kami iiyak kasi tangina you know like
we just wanna shout kasi were doing this not because we want sex or we want money
but yes of course everybody loves money but also everybody loves money for some
certain reason the education the food the future minsan may nag papagawa ng bahay
gusto bumili ng sasakyan gusto bumili ng motor or minsan nag papaa-aral ng kapatid.
You know its how it influence its impact me yes mabilis talaga yung money as in
maganda yung money but if you are stupid on how to handle your money you will go
down but if you are smart on how you save your money para rin naman siyang normal
na trabaho pang gabi nga lang.
1.3 How did your experience/s as a stripper made you stay as a stripper?
- I love it, I love the feeling of people are watching you like you look so gorgeous when
they watch you they are amazed. Hindi lahat kaya mag pole trust me a lot of people will
say bad things on pole dancing but you cant do what we can do and you know when
say like ang galing mo kasi nag ti-tricks ka ang galing mo kasi alam nila na pinag
hirapan mo yan. You know what some of my costumer they just don’t like me just
because I do pole dancing but they respect me for what I do ganon ma pa babae man
ma pa lalaki I have costumers like I totally respect of what you do kahit nakikita nila na
ang dami ko ng pasa dami kong sugat nalaglag sa pole and I still have them as a friend
kaya wala akong jowa kasi feni-friendzone ko lang ganun kasi na eenjoy ko siya at the
same time I can continue my fitness nagiging fit pa din ako.
1.4 What are the advantages did you have in working as a stripper that made you proud
of your choosen field?
- I love this, nakapunta ako ng ibang bansa, I went to singapore I am here in japan and I
been I try to do show in hongkong then probably this year I go to thailand and some
other places I can go to Philippines siargao I can go to la union it bring me to places like
you know some of my friends even girl friends they will like “hey I wanna to pay you just
come on my bridal shower and then just do your stripping” like you know it brings me to
places that you never been and then people will know how much you love what you do
they will know it how confident you are and confident of what you do bring you to
places. The stripping part is my enjoyment but the competition is my crown. Hobby ko
ang mag sayaw but competitation I wanna be a champion I wanna be the number one I
wanna go to stages big stages I wanna go to other countries. Ano yan e parang pa ano
ko sa sarili ko na I don’t like people to see me just because Im a stripper but I wanna
see people na I am inspiration I wanna be someones to remember me.
1.5 Is there any specific circumstance/s that made you question your decision on your
choosen profession?
-of course, lalo na pag sa mga anak ko you know when my two daughters dalawang
babae yan some people tell them or some of their classmates tell them that “hey your
mom is a have a disrespectful job or something like lagi na lang bumubukaka yung
nanay mo sa facebook lagi na lang nakikita na nag popole hindi dapat ka respe-respeto
yung nanay mo bakit mo ba nanay yan” sometimes I cried with them syempre I need to
embrace the negative and the positive consequences of being a stripper but when I do
to my two daughters I talk to them personally like “hey mama is not a bad many people
will say bad things about my job but mama is not a bad person mama will always be a
mama and no matter what happen I always wanna make sure both of you will go to
school have a good house good future not sick, shoes, cellphone, I pad lahat ng gusto
mo I can give. So they will understand mommy is not as a mommy also a daddy needs
to provide future for both of them” so sabi ko this might be some of the consequences
that can hurt my family and my kids but all I wanna make sure is to have a good
communication with them na hindi masama ang ginagawa ko marami lang tao
nagsasabi na masama ito pero hindi nila alam ang totoong kwento or totoong dahilan
bakit ko siya ginagawa. Nakakaiyak talaga siya minsan girl syempre parang you need to
be like be becareful with your words when you say words to people because it can hurt
their feelings kung ceo ka kung janitor ka kung stripper ka or kung judge ka or attorney
ka you should always have the same respect you know we all humans just wanna
survive this world and you just have to be kind and becareful with your words. Sabi ko
na lang sa mga anak ko sabi ko ito yung kapalit kaya ko ginagawa ito, ito yung
magiging kapalit but ayon salamat sa diyos mabubuti naman silang bata at naiintindihan
nila ako.
1.6 What challenges, stereotypes and misconceptions did you face when starting out as
a stripper?
- ang dami na bastos na lalaki until today madami mag sasawa ka like every single day
of my life Lagi ka makaka receive ng “ang sexy mo” mga ganoon “ang sarap-sarap mo”
mga ganiyan “sana makasama kita isang araw” “magkano ka ba” tapos kahit babae ha
meroon kunyari mga lesbian meroon din mga babae bisexual may lalaki may foreigners
my asians lahat sila my fetish for strippers. So sabihin nating when you do pole dancing
talagang malapit ka sa mga ganitong tao like people wants to fuck you yun lang but the
main thing is it’s you on how you control your body, your mind kase no matter what will
happen people will keep saying things to you this is on how you react on it. Kung
papatulan mo kung hindi mo papatulan it’s your control on how you do it. So if you
wanna save your self just gonna be calm do your shit mind your own business ganoon
lang talaga. Yun lang ang mga sinasabi ko sa mga anak-anakan ko kasi marami akong
pole dancers sa manila sabi ko “girl kung mag papadala ka sa mga sasabihin ng mga
tao at kahit anong gawin nila hindi yan titigil hanggat hindi ka nila makukuha hindi yan
titigil but it’s how you control them. Araw-araw talaga like “ang sarap mo putang-ina”
mga ganoon word. Meroon pang mag asawa may mga ganoon mga fetish.
1.7 How did you face/solve the challenges or disadvantages you had in this stigma?
- kailangan matibay ka kailangan unbothered ka kailangan alam mo kung ano ang
gagawin mo kapag may nangbabastos sayo kasi kung papatulan mo mapapahamak ka.
(is there any specific reason or one thing na pinanghahawakan mo talaga kapag may
mga problema ka ito talaga ang pinaka pinanghahawakan mo na makaka motivate
sayo?) do you believe that I do work as a stripper but I do believe in God its like no
matter where I go no matter how sexy I put in my body no matter how many night very
nakaka pagod but all I know is that’s why I have my rosary here that’s why I have
pictures of my baby here in my bed like no matter what happen at the end of the day or
before I start my day I have a picture of my baby and I have God, so pag tapos ng
trabaho ko matutulog ako I have a picture of my baby and I have God like no matter
what happen kailangan kong ma survive ang isang araw for my self for my babies.
1.8 How did you find support and solidarity within the community despite of the
discriminator actions?
- walang ibang magkakakampi kundi kami kami lang din kami kami lang din ang mag
kakaintindihan kami-kami lang din mag sasama mag iinum iiyak kami. Sabay-sabay
kami iiyak sabay-sabay kami iinum sabay-sabay kami matutulog. Ganon talaga walang
iba makakaintindi sayo kundi ang kapwa mo na ginagawa mo yung trabaho. No matter
what people around us will tell us its us who will understand each other.
(pero yung company or establishment na kung saan kayo nag perform like binabawalan
talaga yung mga private shows and stuff like may boundary talaga yung mga audience
niyo sa mga strippers?)
- there are some situation that other client will ask a topless but I never do that. So
some of the ladies Im working with they are allowing topless because they have a
higher amount and they need the money so I totally respect the decision because that
decision from you not from us of pushing it. So nag to-topless ako pero lagi akong may
tape like to be honest I have here in my bag but I have a nipple tape like no matter what
walang makakita ng aking nipple in my life pwera nalang pag jowa ko syempre o kaya
yung mga anak ko pero sa larangan ng trabaho ko I always make sure I have tape,
nippke tape, body tape. Because Kung gusto ko talaga mag pa bastos mag papabastos
ako pero kung ayaw ko hindi talaga ayoko. that’s why matigas ako pag dating sa ganon
kasi alam ko na ang larangan ng work so I should be ready I should be prepared
mentally, physically, and emotionally. So may mga babae na they want a private show
because they can earn money from it and to be honest some of the girls might be doing
lap dance but to be honest its your decision as always if you wanna still your dignity if
you wanna do this. Its your decision your not twelve your not 13 your not 15 anymore.
So you don’t blame other people of what your decision is wala kang e ble-blame sa
sarili mo kapag gumawa ka ng bad things its you and you and you.

1.9 How did you explain to your family, friends and other loved ones the novelty behind
the sensual artistry of your work?
- you know what sometimes you don’t have to explain it but when they see you how you
love what you do they will accept you no matter what. My mama binibilhan pa ako ng T-
back nun yung papa ko sasabihin mag lotion ka kase ang pangit ng singit mo, sinasabi
ng mga kapatid ko “ may nakita kami sa shein ang ganda ng costume bagay sayo
dalhin mo sa japan” you know, you will just need to make sure that you will show to
people what you love, sometimes you don’t have to explain ipapakita mo lang na love
mo yung ginagagawa mo and then automatically syempre noong una ayaw nila
syempre pamilya yan e pangalan ng pamilya pangalan ni papa pangalan ni mama yung
buong pamilya ko. Hindi nila tanggap noong una talaga but noong nalaman nila na
nagkakaroon na ako ng pasa halos araw-araw ako nag tra-training gustong gusto ko
yung ginagawa ko pag na sstress ako gusto ko mag pole pag natutuwa ako gusto ko
mag pole pag naiiyak ako gusto ko mag pole basta ganon. Tapos dumating yung time
na nag sho-show ako sa theater, hindi lang ako sa stripping e nag theater ako nag co-
compitation ako. So, pag theater show eni-invite ko yung buong family ko bibili ako ng
ticket doon nila nakikita na mahal na mahal ko yung pag sho-show pati mga anak ko
dinadala ko. Automatically they will tell me na may body tape ka ba hindi ka ba
nababastos doon hindi ka ba nalalasing doon, may mga point na natanggap na nila ako
yung ganon yung una kasi hindi dumating yung time na yung mama ko pumupunta na
sa club para lang manood ng show ko sa manila ganon and then natutuwa ako kasi
they just totally accept who I am what I want and who I want to be and then sa pamilya
ko ngayon ako lang totally yung nag susuport sa pang dialesis ni papa pang check up ni
mama pang aral ng kapatid ko pang bayad sa kotse lahat sakin so no matter what
happen ako yung bato ng pamilya ako yung nag susuport ng buong family so no matter
what happen hindi ko naman sinasabi sa kanila na dahil sa pag stripping ko hindi ako
nanunumbat never ako nag sabi ng ganon but I always tell them if I can help I can
definitely help but if I cant I cant so ngayon kaya andito ako sa japan doing strip kasi
every week kailangan kong supportahan si papa ng dialesis niya three times a week so
I need to have a continuously a continues money and I can only get here in japan so
that’s why I don’t like dayoff. Kahit araw-araw mag showtime kahit araw-araw ako naka
T-back kahit kitang kita na yung legs diyan I always think about my family I always think
about my kids syempre iniiyak ko na lang siya pag kailangan ng umiyak pag nag bu-
burn out na ako. So ganun, sometimes you don’t need to explain your self you just have
to be you.
(how do you define noble in stripping??)
- this the 21st century, people will accept LGBT people will accept anyting you are what
you are. So why not stripping? Stripping is a sports, stripping is an Olympics, stripping is
fashion, stripping is from the heart, stripping is a showcase its an entertainment when
people are sad when people wants entertainment what they do they go to strip clubs.
So, hindi lang kami pang bastosan we give people a happiness we give people an
entertainment so it’s a noble job because what we do is to give a showcase we give you
a happinnes we give you a experience we give you the show na ang lakas din namin.
Hindi lang kami pang katawan sports din. People will see how much love you do
because the nobility its not what the job is nobility is who do the job is. Its totally
different ang pagiging noble mo its not the job it’s the who do the job. The nobility is
inside of the person who do the job. Teacher, why the teacher is being the noble job?
Teacher is a noble job because teacher teaches other people but the teachers really
noble kasi siya yung nagtuturo kasi siya yung professor. So the noble its not the job but
who do the job. The dignity its not the job or being stripping or being stripper club it’s the
stripper you know like it’s the who do the job not the job.

1.10 How is your life now after all the challenges being faced as a stripper?
- basta alam ko lang gusto ko yung ginagawa ko and alam ko na hindi ko pinipilit ang
sarili ko sa ginagawa ko and hows my life now? I can definitely say that I want to have
more experience more destinations like countries to go and then masaya ako kapag
masaya yung mga anak ko o kaya masaya ako kapag hindi ko lang tinitignan yung job
ko but how I inspired people from my job and then basta alam ko lang na safe ako
everyday and then malusog ako everyday. Ngayon kase ang dami ng strippers ang
dami ng pole dancers so the competition is everywhere. Nag le-lead ako ng
entertainment show for the Philippines and some of the pole dancers I handle sampong
pole dancers around philippines ako yung manager. Inalam ko talaga buong buhay nila
there was a time pa nga na nag bigay ako ng rental apartment para sa isang babae
kase she needs to work as a pole dancer in poblacion. Tumutulong talaga ako sa
kapwa pole dancers meron din ako pole dancer from manila na pupunta dito sa japan
because of me. So its really how you its not just being you but you also help other
people who do the same job like you yung influenced ba. Meron akong pages in
instagram “philipppine hustlers entertainment” so I have pole dancers I have pole kase
meron akong business mero akong bahay na pinapagawa nasusuportahan ko yung
nanay at tatay ko nasusuportahan ko yung education ng mga anak ko meron akong
sariling ipad, iphone kumbaga na anything I can provide for my self. Kailangan matalino
ka mag handle ng pera madali maganda ang pera sa stripping maganda ang pera sa
club but wag ka lang wag ka mag papadala sa kasi there’s always like drugs the gimiks
some other stripper kasi they go to much clubbing they will buy husto so parang sabi ko
why are you guys doing that to your money kase nga eady money easy go you need to
be smart kaya sabi ko talaga sa kanila “mga bakla kayo maging matalino kayo kasi
mabilis ang pera dito sa club pero mabilis din siya ma wala kung hindi ka marunong .

2. How do the informants give overall meaning to their experience/s?

2.1 What measures did you take to protect your physical, mental and emotional well-
being?
2.2 How did you create boundaries between your personal and professional life ?
2.3 In what specific way you can elaborate most people’s perspectives about your job?
2.4 Is there any misleading action from the audience that was tolerated and impacted
your life negatively? And how did you address it?
2.5 How does the perception of strippers affect the overall entertainment experience for
the audience?
2.6 In your opinion, how can the perception of strippers be improved to promote a more
positive self-image or maintain dignified in this profession?
2.7 How does stripping differ from other full-time office employees and from other
performing artists?
2.8 Have your experiences as a stripper influenced your career aspirations or life
goals? How/in what way?
2.9 What is/are the most important lesson/s that you learned from your experience/s as
a stripper?
2.10 What advice would you give to someone who is considering becoming a
stripper?