Female Voices in Hollywood

Pamela O'Leary
Jul 28, 2017 · 3 min read
Meeting Lyndsay Hailey after the show!

Recently at my first Comic-Con in San Diego, I was the only woman who got to go up to the microphone in front of Hall H and ask Charlize Theron about equal pay among actresses. Click here to watch the Q&A.

Theron’s response to my question highlights the need for fans to support female voices in the entertainment industry. Thus, I feel compelled to share my story of feminist delight after recently attending the Magic Mike Live show in Las Vegas.

Driving to Vegas with a girlfriend, we passed a billboard for Magic Mike Live. My friend squealed with excitement, “Let’s go!” Without a second thought, I bought tickets for that night. I enjoyed the first Magic Mike movie. I went to Magic Mike Live with no expectations except to see cute guys and have fun with my friend.

Little did I know I was about to walk into a heterosexual feminist paradise!

The show begins with male dancers and pounding music. Then, one woman comes on stage. At first, we all think she’s someone from the audience. Then her true identity emerges and we realize she’s actually the show’s emcee, comedian/writer Lyndsay Hailey.

Unlike most women you see on stage in Vegas, Lyndsay’s not scantily clad. Soon, she feels like our fellow girlfriend guiding us through the sensual overload that is Magic Mike Live.

A feminist narrative pervades the air thanks to Lyndsay’s presence and the dominance of the female voice she represents. Magic Mike Live meets its female audience spot-on. It’s not raunchy, but classy, stylish, and artistic. We’re not talking about stereotypical firefighters and police male strippers. The show’s dancers are world-class talents, exhibiting skills on aerial silks, musical instruments, and of course beautiful bodies. I was especially happy to see many men of color on the stage.

Respect is a recurring theme in Magic Mike Live and the ladies from the audience who are selected to go on stage for one-on-one interactions with the dancers come from all races, ages, and sizes. This is what makes the fantasy so real — that real women are valued.

Lyndsay gives constant, encouraging messages of female empowerment throughout the show. She helps us envision a world in which men value women, an alternate reality in which men do not just pursue us to satisfy their own desires but want to truly pleasure women. Imagine if we lived in such a world for more than just two hours for this show! I feel I can safely say that many women at Magic Mike Live were not getting this treatment in their bedrooms at home.

Women own the space at Magic Mike Live. Quite literally — we bought our own tickets here, so our financial independence gives us power. As the show ends, Lyndsay reminds us that we each deserve the best. We feel beautiful.

As Wonder Woman has so clearly demonstrated, powerful stories written and told by female leaders deeply resonate with female audiences. Female fans must keep that demand alive and support women in Hollywood, Las Vegas and everywhere else.

So, ladies, the next time you are in Las Vegas, please support Lyndsay and the powerful female narrative by putting your spending power behind Magic Mike Live. Tonight, Charlize’s new movie Atomic Blonde is releasing, so make sure to go so it has a strong opening weekend. Together, female fans, female directors, and actresses can transform the entertainment industry to share the powerful stories of women.

Follow @lyndsayhailey