The Naked Truth

Cancer Organizations Reject Stripper Donations

When one of their comrades was struck with terminal cancer, the exotic dancer community in Vancouver, Canada banded together to organize an annual event called Exotic Dancers For Cancer. It was initially organized to cheer up their ailing friend Jocelyne Sioui, but they promised her that they would carry on every year, holding the event and raising money for cancer in her memory. Within the first years after Sioui's passing, The Breast Cancer Society of Canada graciously accepted their donation. So, this year, when Trina Ricketts, founder of the exotic dancer website nakedtruth.ca, received a rejection based on the controversial nature of the fundraisers, she was disheartened and shocked that people still saw their contribution as "dirty" money. In protest, she contacted the media to "out" the Breast Cancer Society of Canada's discrimination practices. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and now Exotic Dancers For Cancer can choose among numerous organizations willing and eager to take their money. Here is their story.

Jocelyne Sioui passed away three months before the second annual Exotic Dancers for Cancer and the exotic dance community via an online forum at nakedtruth.ca promotes the event. The first year we raised around $3,000, but the second year, we couldn't find an organization that would accept our donation. We wanted to give it to the hospice that Jocelyne died in, but they were owned by three churches, so they would only take the donation anonymously.

We wanted an organization that would publicly accept our donation, but we kept getting turned down. May's Place in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver was willing to accept our donations publicly and speak to the media, though most of the people that go through there don't have cancer-related issues.

The Breast Cancer Society of Canada did accept the donation, sending a plaque that reads: "Presented To Exotic Dancers For Cancer In Memory Of Jocelyne Sioui." This year, their executive director declined our donation with regret, saying they have other major donors that do not support the connection to exotic dancers. If the Breast Cancer Society of Canada wanted our money next year, we'd have to collectively decide to give it to them. In the meantime, we have had a groundswell of support from other organizations unashamed and happy to 'launder' our dirty money.