National

Women not laughing over ‘joke’ on bill raising stripper age

By Melinsa DeSlatte

Associated Press
Debate at the Louisiana State Capitol, above, on a bill to raise the age of strip club dancers to 21 included a facetious amendment to also limit the jobs to women ages 21 to 28 and below 160 pounds. Women aren’t amused.
Debate at the Louisiana State Capitol, above, on a bill to raise the age of strip club dancers to 21 included a facetious amendment to also limit the jobs to women ages 21 to 28 and below 160 pounds. Women aren’t amused. Zave Smith Associated Press, file
BATON ROUGE, La.

The Louisiana House has agreed to block strip clubs from hiring dancers under the age of 21, but only after a joke from one lawmaker provoked outrage about the treatment of women.

The proposal, headed back to the Senate for final passage, was pushed as fighting human trafficking.

But it prompted snickering and jokes. Jackson Rep. Kenny Havard proposed an amendment that would limit strippers to between 21 and 28 years old and no more than 160 pounds.

He quickly withdrew it. But female lawmakers were not amused.

Kenner Rep. Julie Stokes described the amendment as “utterly disrespectful and disgusting.”

Havard said the amendment was a commentary on overregulation, not aimed at women.

The House voted 96-0 for the bill Wednesday – without the amendment.

This story was originally published May 18, 2016 at 5:04 PM with the headline "Women not laughing over ‘joke’ on bill raising stripper age."

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