Exotic Dance Adult Entertainment: ethnography challenges false mythology:
Judith Lynne Hanna
It is a myth that crime and property depreciation are tbe inevitable consequences of the presence in a community of exotic dance adult entertainment (also referred to as erotic, nude or topless dancing, striptease, gentlemen's clubs, juice bars and adult cabarets). Nevertheless, this myth has been perpetuated by media sensationalism, vocal minorities of the Religious Right and the feminist movement, the misinformed, "studies" commissioned by various localities, the justice system and even a professional association. As grounds for regulation of this entertainment, localities have used "studies" showing adverse effects that are scientifically flawed and now chaUengeable. My ethnographic work since 1995, when i was asked to be an expert court witness in First Amendment cases related to exotic dance, has been part of that challenge. This article examines a recent American Planning Association publication that perpetuates the same misconceptions under the cloak of academic professionalism. The critique serves as a springboard to discuss the role of planners in local governance, whose recommendations can affect the vitality of communities and the livelihoods of individuals, provoke costly litigation at taxpayer expense and infringe people's civil liberties. [Exotic dance, cultural conflict, urban planning, myth]