Rosie of Feministing, discussing a proposed Detroit city council amendment to ban strip-club lap dancing says

many of the women in sexually oriented businesses in Detroit are entering these industries because of economic constraints. This is different from folks who enter into sexually oriented professions having chosen exotic dancing from a variety of economic alternatives. But banning lap dances is an incredibly paternalistic way to show respect for women. If lawmakers are really concerned about women in these industries and increasing agency of these women, they should earmark some of the $18 billion in stimulus funds to create initiatives to provide women with real choices for employment.

She said it here.

That sounds about right. Blogging from Europe Matthew Yglesias notes that in Sweden a Big Mac costs about $8.00 and suggests why this might be (emphasis mine)

Recent blogging about the price of soda reminded me of the Economist’s occasional Big Mac Index feature which purports to offer a quick-and-dirty look at Purchasing Power Parities. Actually looking at the results, however, it seems to me that it’s really telling us more about low-end wages. Big Macs are incredibly expensive in Scandinavia not because the currencies are overvalued but because people in the bottom half of the Scandinavian wage distribution earn more money than people in the bottom half of the US distribution.

He said it here.

There will always be some objections to sex work. But one of the big sticks in the craw involves economic differentials between traditional provider and consumer classes. Whether or not the Detroit city council restricts lap dances is sort of immaterial — I’m not saying they should or shouldn’t and I’m definitely not concern-trolling it — if they’re not also doing something to generate employment alternatives for sex workers they’re effectively endorsing the institutions that make it possible.

If, Detroit, say, had a comprehensive social infrastructure that left men and women on an equal footing it’s possible there might still be sex work (although I suspect there’d not only be less supply but also quite a bit less demand.) And it’s possible some of that sex work would include stripping and lap dancing. But you could be pretty confident that whoever was doing it was doing it as a considered choice rather than economic necessity.

If you just outlaw it then even if there’s no emergence of underground alternatives you’re still painting over rotten wood.