Burlesque corset wearers march in London
July 31, 2009 
More than 100 burlesque corset-clad performers have marched on the streets of London to protest a decision to class them as strippers.
The 'army' of women wearing glamour corsets managed to force Camden Council in north London to reverse its ban on local venues holding burlesque shows unless they have an adult entertainment license, the London Paper reported.
Bearing placards reading "Don't be prude, it's not rude", the protestors emphasised that their performances do not involve nudity and originate from early 20th century variety shows.
Sam Roddick, founder of the lingerie boutique Coco-de-mer, claimed that Camden Council's original ruling was based on "ignorance".
She told the newspaper: "Banning burlesque is like banning comedy. It's a genre which contains a wide spectrum of performances which should be judged individually."
Earlier this month, Alex Proud, manager of Camden's Proud Gallery told Sky News that burlesque shows are a form of performance art and that many women find it "empowering".
