I work at the US Senate. I shouldn’t have to dance at strip clubs to feed my son

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http://www.rawstory.com/2015/08/i-work-at-the-us-senate-i-shouldnt-have-to-dance-at-strip-clubs-to-feed-my-son/

I work at the US Senate. I shouldn’t have to dance at strip clubs to feed my son
The Guardian
05 Aug 2015 at 14:25 ET

I’m a single mother and I struggle to support my son on the $10.33 an hour I make at one of the most exclusive clubs in America – the US Senate. I’m a cashier employed by the British-owned contractor that runs the cafeterias in the Senate office buildings. But even though I serve some of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the world, I can’t afford to buy my son school supplies or clothes.

Related: Bertrand Olotara: the US Senate cook struggling to get off food stamps

After paying all my bills and providing for the needs of my son, I’m $600 in the hole every month. On top of the low wages, I get a lay-off notice every time the US Senate goes on recess, which means that I don’t get a paycheck for 8-10 weeks a year.

When I realized that I couldn’t survive on what I was making at the Senate, I made a difficult decision. Faced with eviction notices and unpaid bills, I decided to dance at a strip club a few nights a week to earn extra money. It was the only job I could find that let me work a flexible schedule and earn a living wage.

I don’t want to be a stripper: it can be demeaning to dance for men who show no respect for women. I only do it out of necessity, because I have to support my son. He gets As and Bs on his report card and my shelves are full of his football trophies. My son makes me proud and I want to give him everything that my mother couldn’t give me. The wages I make at my day job just don’t leave me much choice.