One of the most annoying things in burlesque is the myth of the full-time performer. Some folks do sex work, some folks produce shows, some have desk jobs, it’s EXTREMELY rare that one makes 100 percent of their income performing burlesque

I hate the made up “professional / hobbyist” division because I feel as though it implies to new performers that there’s a possibility of subsisting off burlesque alone, and that if you’re “good enough” and spend enough on your costumes you can “make it”

And then there’s the implication that people who have jobs are less valid or less dedicated artists... some of the most dedicated burlesque artists I know also work full time *because they have to.* Because burlesque is the most expensive and least financially rewarding art form