A dancer set to work at new strip club Sin to pay off debts says women should be allowed the chance to be “empowered” and “body-confident.” Abbi Gallagher, 19, successfully auditioned for a new dancing bar to help her pay off her student loans.
Protesters have been trying to get the club, Sin, in Kirkcaldy, Fife, banned – branding it “slave labour” and claiming it is exploitative.
Abbi, from nearby Auchtertool, was part of a group who counter-protested and she says women should be able to make the choice for themselves.
The teen, who has an HNC in animal care and now works with animals, wants to be able to earn extra cash to pay off her loan and get her own place.
She said: “My work don’t allow me to do another job that affects my job but this is the only job I could fit around it. “When I saw it was opening I just thought ‘you know what, this is the perfect way to make extra money.”
“I’m still living with my parents and want to get my own flat. “I’ve done dancing for three or four years so I’ve been around strippers a lot so it doesn’t really bother me.”
It is that time spent with lap dancers which has inspired Abbi to try it for herself.
She added: “At the end of the day, if somebody wants to dance it is up to them. “Women know what they’re going in for. “Most people I know who do it are so body confident and I just think it must be so empowering.
“So I don’t see it as being exploited.”
Yesterday’s protests came just over a week before Sin is set to open.
Around forty supporters of the Women Together group in Fife demonstrated against the plans.