Promoter defends J’can male strippers
Event promoter and marketer Maestro Debonair has come out in strong defence of his male monthly stripper event, Male Revue. The promoter received some amount of backlash on social media after he posted photos of some of his male stripper employees wearing skimpy clothing on his personal page.
However, he believes Jamaicans ought to be more open-minded. He also pointed out that the bulk of the backlash comes from insecure men.
“Men are generally insecure. If you want to look at the amount of domestic violence cases that ended tragically, it shows that as men, we are very insecure when it comes to our women,” he said.
BACKLASH
“So, naturally, male strippers are going to be disliked by most men because they won’t like the idea of sending their woman out to a male strip club. There is going to be backlash, but that helps to promote and create a curiosity. It’s mostly restrictions and the forbidden that are found to be the most tempting,” he said.
Debonair also rubbished accusa- tions that his sexuality was compromised by his decision to endorse male strippers, while comparing it to male dancers in dancehall. “Anybody that knows me can tell you that I am strictly for the ladies, so there is no question about that. Ever since male strippers have gained prominence, people tend to ascribe certain sexuality stereotypes, but I am really not sure why. Male exotic dancing promotes sexual freedom and sensuality,” he said. “You have a lot of men in the dancehall who wear tight clothing and they are dancing more than the females, and dem a wine up in a crowd. So, to question the sexuality of a male stripper who wears costumes and dances for an all-female audience is absurd. For me, personally, it’s ladies only.”
POTENTIAL TO GROW
Despite the backlash, Debonair believes that male exotic dancing has the potential to grow in Jamaica because women are becoming i ncreasingly independent. “Women have been empowered lately. They are earning as much as men, and gender roles have changed a lot. Women are calling more shots than they did 10 years ago, and independent women feel empowered, so it’s a necessary entertainment medium,” he said. Debonair also stressed that he does not book his male strippers to offer sexual services. He added that the company has been targeted by homosexuals, but they have declined such services as the company strictly focuses on the pleasure of women. Male stripping events under the Male Revue banner are held monthly in Kingston, every other Saturday in Montego Bay, and every Saturday at Shades in Ocho Rios. The company also offers male exotic dancers for hire to women for bachelorette parties for as much as $20,000 for a 60minute show.