Bumping and Grinding On the Line: Making Nudity Pay Becki L. Ross.

Bumping and Grinding On the Line: Making Nudity Pay Labour Le Travail. 46. (2000): 221-250. JSTOR. Web. 23 March 2014. In the article Bumping and Grinding on the Line: Making Nudity Pay, Becki L. Ross gives an insight into the life of a stripper and describes how the tasks she does has an effect on the stripper. She elaborates on the lifestyle by explaining what most strippers do along with examines the psychological effect of this from the amount of sexual encounters. Although strippers are not the same as college clubbers, they still participate in similar actions in a similar setting. Considering that the author puts in sarcastic comments like Ladies and Genitals...Let Us Tickle Your Pickle, (237) the content is obviously directed towards sexual pleasures between males and females. Ross also tells of many views about the environment, including one which states Nice Girls, Smart Girls, Good Girls Don't Disrobe in Public.(232) Although strippers are doing so at a more extreme rate, any other girl who goes to the club is judged in the same manner. A place in which vulgarity, sexual encounters, and other dirty deeds occur is typically considered a shameful place to be associated with, but the college life loves it and does not allow it to stop them from doing what they want to do. Although this is considered to be frowned upon in our society, the club gives the clubbers indescribable feelings. These feelings are usually positive, which leads to a boost in both confidence and self esteem. Because of this, the great feelings that are experienced over-power the judgments that clubbers face, which is why most feel confident enough to do things they normally wouldnt, which is an empowering feeling. On the other hand, someone who has been in the industry for a long period of time may feel differently about it. The thrill and excitement goes away and it becomes more of a sexual act to pleasure others, not themselves. Ross tells of a statement from an interview, in which a stripper states Faderman mused publicly about the shame that closeted her bumping and grinding for forty years. (245) With this said, it is assumed that too much of this type of attention actually becomes more demeaning than positive, therefore affecting the self esteem of the clubber. After all of the hype is lost, this just becomes a task for a woman that is meant only to pleasure the male, as they dont receive any sexual gratification for grinding or dancing, which is most likely why most clubbers are young, as they have not outgrown this stage. Does High Self-Esteem Cause Better Performance, Interpersonal Success, Happiness, or Healthier Lifestyles? Roy F. Baumeister, Jennifer D. Campbell, Joachim I. Krueger and Kathleen D. Does High SelfEsteem Cause Better Performance, Interpersonal Success, Happiness, or Healthier Lifestyles? Vohs Psychological Science in the Public Interest. 4.1 (2003): 1-44. JSTOR. Web. 23 March

2014. In the article Does High Self-Esteem Cause Better Performance, Interpersonal Success, Happiness or Healthier Lifestyles?, the authors discuss how self esteem defines as well as plays a major role in our lives. They then go to describe the process of obtaining self esteem and how it can be useful in everyday situations, along with describing how most gain these boosts. They describe many ways, including those through sexual encounters. These ways of gaining selfesteem relate directly to the boosts in confidence that the club provides, which leads to a more successful night. They argue that People high in self-esteem claim to be more likable and attractive, to have better relationships, and to make better impressions on others than people with low self-esteem.(34) This is true for everyday life situations, as well as in the club. It was evident in my own observations and many other ethnographic studies that self esteem is indeed a major factor in the club, if not one of the most important. Those who had more self esteem in the club were seen as more attractive to the other genders. The guys who were charming and bold got more dances than the guys who shyly walked up to girls and just grabbed their hips. Similarly, the girls who were more bold got more dances too; those who danced on the bar and made direct eye contact to call someone out ultimately got the dance over the girl just standing in the corner. Overall, the article brings up some good points about self esteem and ways it is achieved, but also argues that self-esteem cannot be achieved through situations that are considered unacceptable by society. To a certain extent, my study showed otherwise. In todays society, it is frowned upon for girls just as young as eighteen to go out in the late hours of the night and have sexual encounters in the club; however it is done every night. Although it is typically considered an unacceptable way to use your time, I observed large amounts of young adults who came to the club and left feeling great with smiles on their face, displaying body language of delight and happiness. So yes, if you are doing something that you find personally demeaning, your self esteem will not increase. However if you are doing something that you find fun, but others may consider bad, you can still achieve a boost in self esteem since you are experiencing the emotions of joy and confidence. Face-Saving at the Singles Dance Bernard Berk. Face-Saving at the Singles Dance. Social Problems, 24.5 (1977): 530-544. University of California Press. JTOR. Web. 13 March 2014. In the article titled Face-Saving at the Singles Dance, the Author, Bernard Berk discusses the details of the interactions during multiple singles dances. These singles dances were meant for singles specifically, no couples, and served as a fair way to meet new people. While elaborating on strategies, attire, rejection and styles of the attendees, he also spoke about the negative situations that came along with this situation. He elaborates, and states Embarrassment

and other dramatic losses of face frequently halt interaction, creating discontinuities, hiatuses and-"interactional dead ends" from which interact ants must extricate themselves. (532) Overall, I found Berks article to be very beneficial and reassuring to my study. He goes into great depth; addressing many of the same elements I did in my personal study, considering the settings are very similar. In the quote above, he states that if or when someone feels embarrassed, they halt interaction, and reach interactional dead ends.(532) I can confirm this notion, as I too saw this while in the club. He then goes on to describe the results from this interruption, which include leaving and trying to pair up with others in the same situation. This too happened in the club, while the attendees where very obvious in their uncomfortable positions, it became evident that they were feeling the internal and psychological effects of the loss of face, as Berk puts it. Their faces showed it all, and mimicked the emotions Berk describes. Those who were rejected felt the self-demolishing feelings of sadness and overall pain. Considering all of the similar reactions and emotions, this confirms that this is a very common thing, and certainly has an effect on self esteem. Although the majority of the article Face-Saving at the Singles Dance was very in line with my study and produced similar results, some of the statements Berk makes are not coherent with what I experienced. He states Many women reported making elaborate efforts to find a friend to accompany them to the dance. Alliances among women who came to the dance alone formed quickly.(540) while this may be the case in a singles dance setting; this was not the case at Bar Charlotte. Women who came to Bar Charlotte often came with few girls they already knew. The majority of each group was male. If there was a female there alone, they never sought the company from other girls, just the males of the club. Often girls who were strangers to one another started unspoken rivalries, and almost fought for every guys approval, like a competition. I did however notice that the males would group off if they felt like they weren't doing too well. They felt it made them more approachable if they were with more guys, and it worked from time to time. This led me to the conclusion that the range of the dancers could have an effect on the interactions between genders. Young females being less friendly, and males being friendlier. These groupings work in a positive way to increase confidence, and boost ones self-esteem. GRINDING ON THE DANCE FLOOR, Gendered Scripts and Sexualized Dancing at College Parties Shelly Ronen. GRINDING ON THE DANCE FLOOR: Gendered Scripts and Sexualized Dancing at College Parties. Gender and Society. 24.3 (2010): 355-377. JSTOR. Web. 29 April 2014. In the article titled GRINDING ON THE DANCE FLOOR, Gendered Scripts and Sexualized Dancing at College Parties, the author Shelly Ronen examines the role of grinding

in the New York College/clubbing setting, and the gender inequalities associated with this dance. Grinding is a very suggestive and sexual dance, which involves the repetitive rotations and motions between a females back side and the males front side. The overall basis of the article is to argue that there is definitely gender inequality presented in this particular setting. While this was the main focus, literally all of Ronens observations were identical to my own, including the statement According to one observer, A lot of girls appeared to like it. Dyads who danced together for longer showed more sexual interest; their moves became more suggestive and partners focused their attentions exclusively on each other. (359) The statement above not only matches the observations I made, but reinforces that a club setting can indeed have an effect on self esteem, and in this case for the better. For example, she tells of one specific couple, The longer they danced, the closer they became. The guy even pulled one of her legs up and wrapped it around his waist as he was grinding on her against the wall. They danced for nearly three hours before I glanced back at them and they were kissing. (361) As a female receives more positive feedback from the male, she then became more bold, and more willing to push sexual boundaries with a complete stranger, indicating a boost in confidence and self esteem. Along with this, Ronen also points out that Music that encourages grinding is a convenient facilitator of a public sexual act. The music legitimizes as dancing what might otherwise be seen as inappropriate public sexuality. (374) As in my own study, music was also a huge benefactor in her study. Music with provocative, daring lyrics pushes people to abandon their consciences, and do something that they would not normally do. Acting as an encouragement, this too results in a boost in self esteem, as displayed in my own results and Ronens as well. These results not only confirm that most clubs have similar characteristics no matter the location, but also heighten the credibility of my own observations. Controversially, she also argues that "Grinding provides insight into implicit gendered inequalities within scripts that govern sexual interaction. (375) I agree with this statement from a sexual standpoint, but not all together. Yes, men are glorified in the process of grinding, as it demeans women and boost their own ego and credibility or man card. When grinding, men will often push the female down, hand on back showing power, and also guide her to better pleasure them, while groping them. Considering males get major arousal from these actions, and females do not, Ronen has a point. This poses the question, why do females enjoy clubbing so much then? The answer is because the clubbing experience is often a great way to receive attention from males, which in return makes them feel special and loved. These feelings, along with rewards such as alcohol or the possibility of further sexual encounters to come later in the night all resort back to the ultimate idea, clubbing inevitably can raise self esteem and confidence, for both males and females. The Hip-Hop club scene: Gender, Grinding and Sex Miguel Muoz-Laboy, Hannah Weinstein and Richard Parker. The Hip-Hop Club Scene: Gender, Grinding and Sex, Culture, Health & Sexuality. 9.6 (2007): 615-628 JSTOR. Web. 23

March 2014. In the article titled The Hip-Hop club scene: Gender, Grinding and Sex, the authors analyze Hip-Hops culture and its role in the club. The study was conducted on both genders, ranging from fifteen to twenty-one years of age. The roles of gender and sex are specifically examined in this ethnography. One of the main focuses is dance, which in this case is predominantly grinding, ...the dance floors of Hip-Hop clubs turned into a competitive space where getting attention and being close to women was the goal for young men. For both boys and girls, the key aspect to competing in this space is dancing ability. (624) Throughout the article, the ability to perform is truly emphasized, as stated above, the better you dance, the more action you will get. Considering this idea, it is also feasible to believe that the better you dance, the more confident you are as well. The more dances you have are a direct reflection on your skills, which also will either build your confidence or tear it down based on how successful you are. For some, being able to control the grinding and getting young men erect was viewed as a 'fun' thing to do, simply as a part of dancing to this type of music. (623) As I too observed this, it can be derived that the females do indeed feel powerful from this advantage. I also noticed that once females realized they held this power over the men, they felt more willing to walk up to men, knowing if they got bored all they had to do was walk away. This lesson from the club is certainly an ego raiser for the females but can also double as a burden for the men. Overall this still has an effect on both genders regarding their self esteem. With that said, the authors also state that From the young women's perspectives, dancing in Hip-Hop clubs to Hip-Hop music styles was about having fun." (617) Although this may be true, it is not only the only motive for going to the club, as displayed by other results. The clubbing experience is an exciting and exhilarating experience, which is indeed fun, but there is so much more to it. The experiences one endures in the club are more substantial, especially for females. One night in the club has the power to either largely boost ones self esteem or instantly crush it. It also has the possibility to create new relationships and other sexual encounters, or to provide a place to find the attention that certain individuals are seeking for. Therefore, yes it is fun to go to the club, but there is generally other motives that are more substantial when going clubbing.