Stripped Awake

Sept 23, 2025. Kaylee King

If stripping made sense in LA, I would still be doing it. But with the way the laws are set up, and the way dancers are treated by management… it’s hard to look past so much injustice against women.

Entertaining used to be an art. But since the Los Angeles clubs take over 50% of the dancers’ money, it drives the prices up, and starves the clubs of customers. Add in pressure from the managers to sell lapdances, and what you’ve got is legal pimping.

Nice job, State of California

The most devastating part about quitting the club is the death of my alter-ego.  In a lot of ways, being Kaylee and creating a character outside of my true self was an outlet for suppressed trauma (thanks, therapy). 

Now that I’m making peace with my past and finding other outlets for the misery of being alive, I don’t feel the desire to tap in to Kaylee as much.

Taking time off is necessary so that I can spend time out of performance mode, but the first time I quit the club, I was in a bit of a shock. I didn’ t know what to do with myself. I didn’t know how to interact with the opposite sex without drawing them in, without performing. 

Keep it neutral, Kay, don’t touch your hair. Don’t be flirty.

The problem with pretending to be normal to fit in with the normal people is that even when I succeed at being normal, it doesn’t feel that good. If anything, it makes me want to run right back to the club , where it feels like I can be whatever or whoever I want, and I’m still accepted. 

The dancers and the johns and the managers are all more alike than we’d  like to admit (someone remind me to develop this more later)

I randomly worked a shift the other night. I didn’t need the money–I don’t think I even wanted it.  But boredom struck, and I missed my friends and the attention…Go figure. Five minutes into ‘having a relaxing night to myself’, and I’m ordering an Uber Black to the club at a half hour before midnight.

Clearly, I can’t be trusted.

At this point, stripping is purely an act of rebellion.

I’ve been considering moving from LA, if even just for a bit. The only places with better weather  than LA are San Diego, Florida or Hawaii. 

Something about a simple life by the beach has always been so appealing.

And after living the fast life for so long, it might be what I need.