TUCSON, Ariz.—Despite protests by adult performers during the meeting, the Tucson City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to increase the age for adult entertainers at fully nude establishments from 18 to 21 years old. Oddly enough, Tucson has only one fully nude adult entertainment business, the Bunny Ranch.
According to the Arizona Daily Star, an assistant manager and several other employees from the Bunny Ranch said the decision discriminates against women's equal opportunity employment rights.
"This is a women's rights thing. It's discriminatory against their rights and our business," said 23-year-old assistant manager Marcus Richardson. "I don't understand why the city would pass this and possibly lose another business."
The move by the council, which takes effect Jan. 1, will have an immediate impact on the Bunny Ranch, which features more than a dozen performers, only two of whom are 21 or over, according to 19-year-old employee Kiernan Hinks, who told the Star she has another part-time job but needs the Bunny Ranch gig to pay for school.
“Richardson said he was unsure whether the Bunny Ranch owners and manager would consider applying for a liquor license, which would set the employee minimum age to 19,” reported the Star. “A liquor license would also prohibit full nudity inside the business.”
The ordinance also requires age verification when a person applies for an adult entertainment employee license.
