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Nightlife in San Diego is untouched by the "no-touch" laws supposedly being enforced. San Diego strip clubs have to abide by the laws, but patrons see otherwise. Many of the women who work in these clubs see the lucrative profession of dancing as a means of paying for college tuition.
One recent evening, a young woman walked slowly, balancing in five-inch clear stiletto heels while trying to look sexy. Sade sung through the sound system. Everyone in the room seemed to have come to a complete standstill. All eyes were on her.
A man leaned forward and smiled at the young woman, never taking his eyes off her. She danced, swaying her body from side to side. It was a typical sight for the front rooms of strip clubs, but in the back rooms, reserved for private dances, it's often another story.
San Diego has a "no-touch" law that has landed more than one city politician in jail. Christina, a fair skinned exotic dancer with long jet black hair, did not see any difference in how the law affects her money. "Men attempted and succeeded in touching us before the law and after it was put into effect," she said. "I hate to be touched, and I let them know it. Some men are okay with it, and others are not."
"When it comes to out-of-towners, though, that's a whole new demon," said Christina, rolling her eyes. "They bitch and complain about how wherever they're from the dancers are topless, nude, or that they can touch." A blazing redhead who goes by Amanda recalled how tourists and San Diego's exotic nightlife don't mix well.
"When the no-touch law came into effect, I personally found that this law just made it harder for the more restrictive dancers to maintain their standards," said Amanda. "In short it created more problems for cleaner dancers to be competitive with the non-law abiding dancers."
Even though San Diego's clubs are on the more conservative side, visitors still enjoy the thrill of the stilettos and neon lights. No touching is supposed to be a law that is followed, but there are always those people who think rules are meant to be broken. "I just explain to them in a very polite manner: 'Welcome to San Diego, sweetheart. It doesn't work that way here,'" Christina said.
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