After all of these years, I am continuing to cause trouble. This is a recent communication from YouTube (I bolded all the important/upsetting bits):
We’d like to inform you that due to repeated or severe violations of our Community Guidelines your YouTube account Michelle L’amour has been suspended.
Graphic sexual contact that is meant to be sexually gratifying is not allowed on YouTube. We review educational, documentary, artistic, and scientific content on a case-by-case basis. Limited exceptions are made for content with sufficient and appropriate context and where the purpose of posting is clear.
Please be aware that you are prohibited from accessing, possessing or creating any other YouTube accounts.
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Now, I can assure you that nothing I posted on YouTube was GRAPHIC. Yes, I posted some performance videos. I posted some family friendly Patreon promo videos (all things that would fall in line with a Victoria’s Secret commercial) and I even posted some interviews I had done and also, my Big Reveal, where I came out about alopecia.
A few weeks ago, I was notified that a video I put up with me posing with snakes was taken off my account and I was given my first warning. Nothing else came from YouTube until this banning email above. I am going to assume that the video that threw this into high gear, was my ‘Pleasure is Power‘ video, a tribute to Andy Warhol’s ‘Blow Job‘.
In this video, all you see is my face. There is no music. There is no sound. It is completely silent. I experience pleasure in this video, but all of that is off camera. It. Is. Just. My. Face. Well, as it turns out, a woman with sexual agency and pleasure is a thing to be feared. While my video is down and my whole channel is removed AND I can’t even access YouTube on my phone, the original video by Warhol with a man being pleasured continues to stay on this platform with millions of views. There is an imbalance here.
Back in the day, at the height of burlesque, girls were getting arrested and thrown in jail for their ‘lewd’ behavior and scandalous headlines were splashed across newspapers all over the US. Many of these women, and club owners, orchestrated this scene to get more press for their club and in turn, getting more asses in the seats to see the asses on stage. Nowadays, while we aren’t being dramatically thrown in jail, we are being silenced. Our voices are being taken away, but it’s all happening in secret. Women who deal in the sexy arts are being left in the shadows, with a huge effect on their bank accounts. Remember how branding, marketing and promotion is so important? What do you do when all your avenues to grow your business are taken away?
Well, that’s what I’m hoping to fix. Taking a cue from the dancers’ past, I want press on this. A lot of it. I want articles, podcasts, whatever! If you know someone that would be interested in this story, let me know. This is not just happening to me. So many of my friends cannot post more than a picture of their eyeball without getting into trouble. We’re being watched and judged. I am not going to stand for this!
Recently, I took class at the Martha Graham School in New York City. During that class, the teacher said, ‘There is no movement, without opposition’. I will move through this opposition and come out the other side stronger. I encourage you to join me.
In the meantime, follow me on Vimeo or join my fan club!
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As you know, I have had a lot of trouble with social media this past year. From your sweet innocent shadow bans on Instagram to a complete BANNING on YouTube. I am not the only one experiencing this silencing. Many of my fellow dancers and artists are being shut out. I’ve decided to use this anger and fire for good. I’d like to introduce you to my new show, Uncen$ored. This show will premiere on the Eve of the Eve, Dec 30th at 10pm, in Chicago at a secret location. The address will be given to you on the day of the event. All you need to know is that it will be in the Lakeview area. The show will feature myself and Chicago’s top talent pushing the boundaries. We are going BEYOND BURLESQUE, not only in the exposure of skin, but also in the presentation. You will see acts that aren’t easily classified. I think the kids are calling it ‘performance art’. We are taking this underground and I hope that you’ll join me! I strongly suggest you get your TICKETS now! This is going to be one for the books.
I am still in the aftermath of the YouTube banning. Trying to figure out how to make the best of a bad situation. I have some new show ideas because of it (and hopefully I’ll have news on that soon) and I also decided to finally start ‘