Topless dancer used to be student union women’s officer

The Independent has an interesting story about the strange career trajectory of a topless dancer who was once a student union women’s officer.

Single mother Nadine Quashie, 27, held the student union sabbatical position at Thames Valley University less than two years before joining Stringfellows (who she is now suing for unfair dismissal) in London in June 2007 as a lap dancer.

The former accountancy and finance student, who never completed her course, danced topless and in a G string wearing a garter stuffed with pre-paid “heavenly money” vouchers from clients.

On some nights, she would take home more than £1,000 in cash, after deductions were made for commission and other expenses, the employment tribunal was told.

She is hoping to get permission to bring an employment tribunal case against Stringfellows after she was dismissed by the club in December 2008.

Ms Quashie, under cross-examination by Caspar Glyn, for Stringfellows, told the tribunal she had only completed one full year of her accountancy and finance course at Thames Valley University.

“I was women’s sabbatical officer, representing women and women’s wellbeing in the university and their rights and making sure they were not underprivileged or anything like that,” she told the tribunal.

Ms Quashie is seeking to prove that working conditions at Stringfellows effectively meant that dancers were employees – and she can therefore qualify to have her case heard by the tribunal.