Dance Dive

Originally posted to the tech site Gizmodo, a photo of a pole dancing doll has the web in a stir. The toy appears to be a battery powered device with a doll that “dances” and spins around a poll when music is played. The doll certainly doesn’t have the look of a poll dancer. Given that, my first reaction was that this was someone’s innocent idea (think “Singing in the Rain”) that went horribly wrong when taken out of the context it was intended to be in. However when you look at the design of the pole and the platform the doll is on (including the railing), it becomes obvious that this is no mistake. Most disturbing, is that this “toy” seems to be oriented towards children.

Granted pole dancing has gained somewhat mainstream popularity in recent years as a form of exercise for many women, it still maintains a risque nature. It will be quite some time before any forms or variants will emerge as to leave its adult roots in the past. It will be even longer after that before it would be considered to be “kid safe”. The bigger question remains, should it ever?

Needless to say that the mere surfacing of this photo on the web has created quite a stir. Parents groups are in an uproar and rightfully so. Many have called the image a fake, or claim that the toy’s packaging has been fabricated. While no actual doll has surfaced, a Gizmodo writer told parentdish.com that the doll is likely authentic and the photo likely originated in Asia. This leaves me to wonder if there is some kind of cultural misunderstanding. The activity could be unheard of there and thus appear to be a cute and a novel idea of kids. When introduced into our culture, it generates a completely different reaction.

What do you think?