The story was broken by Capitol reporter Melinda Deslatte via Twitter during the discussion of a bill to raise the age minimum for strippers to 21. Deslatte reported that Havard reportedly proposed his amendment as a joke but state Rep. Julie Stokes, a Kenner Republican, was outraged by the suggestion. Deslatte says that Stokes said that she had “never been more repulsed to be a part” of the Legislature. Having lived in Louisiana. I am a bit surprised that this was the worst such moment. I was living in the state when state Rep. Carl Gunter questioned the need for an exception for incest in abortion limits because “Inbreeding is how we get championship horses.”
Notably, such a limitation would have barred the most famous stripped on Bourdon Street: Chris Owens, who danced for over 50 years.
The bill was unanimously approved. As a result, older, Rubenesque strippers may still find employment on Bourbon Street.