Sacred Striptease

by Tahlia Newland

Ex-ballet dancer Lexie is a stripper on the suburban pub circuit. She loves her enthusiastic audiences, unless they’re like The Creep. His chilling presence reveals her vulnerability and makes her rethink what she does for a living. This short story raises important gender issues.

19 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 23, 2014

About the author

Tahlia Newland is a multi-passionate artist, author and editor. She is the author of seven magical-realism novels, plus books on writing, meditation, and recovering from spiritual abuse in Tibetan Buddhism. She works as an editor and publisher for Alkira Publishing, and in her spare time, she creates AI art or makes masks or decorates hats, which she sells as TahliasArtAndCraft on Etsy.

On her blog and social media, she writes on navigating this crazy world as a neurodivergent contemplative with a passion for nature, story and art. She animates some of her AI imagery, turns it into music videos, and posts it on her Psychemagination: Tahlia Dreaming YouTube Channel.

Reviews

[Lynxie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not sure what to say about this naughty, cheeky and sinfully delightful short story by Tahlia.

"Wow!"

I had come to expect young adult, or new adult mysticism tinged tales. But this, this story is raw and emotional, heartening and a bit scary at the same time.

I was amazed at just how much character Tahlia packed into this tiny story. In just 19 pages Tahlia weaved a swift net to capture the reader and make them sit up and take notice of this intriguing profession.

And, because Tahlia likes to ensure her readers have something important to think on when they finish reading her work, this time her focus is on gender issues. Society's views on the stripping profession, what it means to be a stripper, who those that watch strip shows are, and quite a few others.

So, while this story is only 19 pages long, it'll keep you thinking long after you've finished it.

Flawlessly edited again, as is expected from Tahlia. So, the only reason this doesn't get 5 stars from me is the lack of a solid ending. This, I feel, will be a personal choice of each reader. The softer ending will please some, and annoy others. To me, there were too many unanswered questions. It felt unfinished to me.

**Note: Since getting this book, it has been removed from Amazon**

[Charles Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sacred Striptease takes us through an evening in the life of Lexie (Miss Electra), a stripper who works in a club frequented by mainly working class men stopping for a little entertainment before going home to their families. Told in the first person, the story shows the mental process of a woman who views what she does as art, not for titillation, but for entertainment. Lexie has a strong artistic connection and affection for the men who enjoy watching her perform, but is distressed by the presence of the Creep, a man who views her (in her view) not as a performer, but as a target for exploitation.
A profound treatment of subjects such as self-image, rape, and exploitation, this is a good short read that will entertain as much as Miss Electra’s artistic gyrations do. My only complaint is that the reader is never told why a former ballet dancer such as Lexie (not her real name we’re told) turned to stripping, and while the Creep is introduced and we’re led to believe he exerts a strong influence on Lexie (creating, we believe, a sense of fear and dread in her), he just disappears in the end with no real resolution to the tension, other than a slight surprise at the end, which I will not reveal so those who read the story can discover it for themselves.
Except for these two small weaknesses (in my personal opinion, I must stress), it’s a profoundly entertaining story.