And like most of the star-stacked cast, the year-old, born in Canada to Filipino and Syrian parents, is a woman of colour. Constance Wu has been commended on her emotional range as Destiny, a rookie dancer who begins to swindle Wall Street bankers following the recession. The women-led, woman-directed film has particularly resounded with female audiences: over two-thirds of those who saw it opening weekend were women, the Hollywood Reporter found. Pole-dancing itself is easy to pick up, thanks to fitness classes.
But the movie about strippers is getting a mixed reception from its real-life counterparts. Sex workers, who have long been misrepresented in mainstream media , are voicing both praise and apprehension around its portrayal of their profession. I honestly enjoyed it. I think they did right by us. It was mostly a story about friendship and survival. Super relatable. How it humanizes workers, by showing women of various body types and ethnicities living full lives, raising kids, and supporting each other, has been admired too.
On the other hand, the movie has been criticized for failing to use its platform to advocate for solidarity with sex workers. Prefontaine and other sex workers online are constantly at risk of shadowbanning. While the user can still engage with the platform, the username may be hidden from search and their comments may no longer appear under posts. This tactic, which greatly affects sex workers, can hurt their abilities to promote their businesses and communicate with prospective clients.
Stardust feels similarly. In a promotional stunt for the movie, beauty vlogger Nikita Dragun posted an Instagram ad where she learned how to strip for the first time. But Stardust faces consequences for posting similar content on her Instagram profile.
The official movie campaign was also heavily endorsed by Twitter. Women on the platform were encouraged to engage with the hashtag TweetYourHustle. Join and TweetYourHustle. The sex worker community is inclusive of those who provide erotic services without offering sexual acts, such as pole-dancing and camwork.
