Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
of undress, with fantasy segments displaying models not only walking down a catwalk,
but also playing to an audience by engaging in acts of striptease which range from play-
ful to explicit.
The waitrons are exclusively female and wear outfits that are notably tight, short, and
very revealing, as was frequently referenced by the patrons that we interviewed. The
division of labor in the club is gendered and raced: the bartenders are all white, male,
and wear smart clothes; the waitrons are all young, white attractive females who cater
to the needs of the clientele; their role is to serve, flirt, and be friendly and happy. The
barmen, however, are not under the same obligation and often give the impression of
beingtoobusyforsuchniceties.Equallyassignificantastheseproblematicgenderroles
is the division of labor across racial lines; all the cleaning staff and bouncers are black.
Not only does the hierarchical relationship amongst staff reinforce notions of racial and
genderdifferenceintermsoftheirroles,butsimultaneouslynaturalizesaparticularform
of white, male privilege by perpetuating the racialized and class divisions upon which
the apartheid era depended.
The walls of the dance floor are adorned with large pictures of attractive, white wo-
menDJing,dancing,orgazingdreamilyatanaudience.Thesewomenaresuperimposed
against colorful backgrounds and shadow-dancing figures lending an air of surrealism
to the images. This surrealism in turn lends an aspect of fantasy to the pictures and the
spaces which they represent.
