What's so feminist about garters and bustiers? Neo-burlesque as post-feminist sexual liberation

Abstract

The performance art of burlesque is gaining popularity in North American culture, but with many ‘neo-burlesque’ performers, critical reflection or commentary on the politics of female sexuality is glaringly absent or summarily dismissed. Neo-burlesque could be a feminist rewriting and reclaiming of a Western dance form, which showcased women simpering sexily for her audience. However, in order for neo-burlesque to have a feminist tone, it needs to do more than incorporate women of various ethnicities and body types to transcend patriarchal scripts of female sexuality. Some neo-burlesque includes disruptions of traditional scripts regarding female sexuality that demand the audience think about the complexities of desire, sexuality, and identity, often through a feminist lens. However, these critiques often do not go far enough in their interrogation of power structures and the politics of sexuality. This article makes the argument that the popularity of neo-burlesque in mainstream culture serves to oppress female sexuality in very traditional ways instead of what it purports to do: empower women to celebrate their sexuality through performance.

Keywords::

• burlesque
• feminism
• feminist
• neo-burlesque
• post-feminism
• sexual politics

Notes

^1. For an excellent historical overview of burlesque, read Jane Briggeman's burlesque: a living history (2009).

^2. In the United States, a General Education Development is a diploma awarded to people who did not complete high school, but instead studied the objectives for a high school diploma and took an examination to demonstrate that they have met the objectives.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kay Siebler

Kay Siebler is the Director of Gender Studies and Professor of English at Missouri Western State University. She has published articles on feminist rhetoric, trans-identity in the Digital Age, and teaching in nontraditional settings. Her book Composing Feminisms chronicles the history of feminist pedagogy in higher education. Her most recent book project investigates LGBT identity in the Digital Age.