I have created this blog post with the aim to provide clear resources for pole fitness enthusiasts, performers & divas to explore ways to support & uplift sworkers in spaces that can, at times, be challenging to inhabit. This stage wear brand was created with sworkers in mind, all cuts & fabrics & aesthetics were designed for the club. Creating an accessible brand for Aotearoa’s swork community was at the heart of this project. With that being said, I welcome & encourage customers from all walks of life, my one request is allyship. I know this can be confusing territory so I have created this list to hopefully guide you along this journey. There are many ways to allyship, undoubtedly I won’t be able to list them all, but these are some of the most accessible & effective.
1. Support your SW pole instructors.
This one is super easy! If you’re aware of instructors at your studio who are also out as SWers, seek them out for classes & private tutoring! They are the blueprint!
2. Pay SWers for their emotional labour & industry information sharing.
If you are seeking information from an SWer about their lived experiences in the club or your own allyship, make sure you are paying them for their time. Our jobs are taxing & sometimes traumatic so sharing information can be extra difficult for us, offering to compensate us for sharing is respectful & appreciated!
3. Seek out SW friendly studios!
If you are in the market to learn pole & er0tic movement, look out for studios that actively amplify the voices of SWers & regularly educate their members! These studios are incredibly important to SWers as they can create safe spaces for us to train & find community.
4. Support our organisations!
In Aotearoa, we have two incredible SW lead initiatives that support our industry and fight for better working conditions & legislation. Donate, share their efforts & sign petitions when they come around.
NZPC - Aotearoa’s $ex Workers’ Collective is a New Zealand wide organisation, which is run by SWers for SWers. We advocate for the rights, safety, health, and well being of all SWers. We are a grass roots not for profit organisation. We provide information and services for people who are doing SW or thinking about doing SW.
Find them here - https://nzpc.org.nz
@nzpc.aotearoa
Fired Up Stilettos - Fired Up Stilettos is a $tripper led, grass-roots labour rights movement based in Aotearoa. Formed in response to years of injustice in the $trip club, inspired by a rich history of SW activism, working for tomorrow’s 18 year old girls. Our organizing team is made up of people who work/ have worked in many different industries under the red umbrella
Find them here - https://firedupstilettos.com
@firedupstilettos
5. Share & Support our work & businesses!
We all know about the shadow-ban, something that makes getting our work out there incredibly difficult for SWers, if you can share our work both online & in person please do! Even just sharing our reels, talking about our endeavours & following us online.
6. Respect anonymity.
Make sure you are super careful about the identities of SWers you know, our industry can often be dangerous, so making absolutely sure you are using the aligning name & not sharing our personal stories/experiences with people who don’t know us.
7. Credit us!
Credit SWers for the incredibly forms of movement, aesthetics & culture that we have created. Give thanks & appreciation to those who pioneered this industry & those who still walk this path.
8. Seek out further information & education on this topic.
There are many knowledgeable & informed SWers who are sharing their insights online & in person, follow them on socials, read their writing & attend their talks in order to understand the intricacies of this industry.
Stripped & Unscripted Podcast by Vixen Temple & Madeleine Rose on Spotify
Vixen Temple - @vixentemple.666
Tryst Blog - @tryst.link
Strip The Stigma - @stripthestigmanz
Modern History of Pole Dance - https://bloggeronpole.com/2021/07/a-history-of-modern-pole-dance/
9. Tip us!
Need I say more? 😜♥️
Thank you for reading!
Madeleine xx