Free Speech, Free Press, Free Stripping

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month; 1 in 3 women have been or will be victims of sexual assault in their lifetime. Scary stats. Check out this story...$5 is a fair cover charge for the physically and emotionally taxing work that these women do especially considering it would have been used to fund sexual assault programs and affordable health care. Two things that the dancers and employees would probably highly benefit from since violence is unfortunately rampant in sex work industries which also probably don't provide any subsidized health care services for these women.

Texas: For Strip Club Patrons, Looking Is Fee Free

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A $5-a-customer fee for strip club customers has been declared unconstitutional. A state district judge ruled on Friday that clubs could not collect it. The charge went into effect in January and was expected to raise about $44 million for sexual assault prevention programs and health care for the uninsured. The judge, Scott Jenkins, wrote that the fee, “while furthering laudable goals, violates the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and is therefore invalid.” The Texas Entertainment Association Inc., which is a group of topless clubs, and Karpod Inc., the owner of an Amarillo club, sued Texas’ attorney general, Greg Abbott, and comptroller, Susan Combs, over the fee.

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