History Main / SingleMomStripper

* Jessica Biel in ''PowderBlue'', playing it so earnestly straight.

* ''GarthEnnis'' ''The Pro'' is a superhero parody where a woman in this trope gets given superpowers. She doesn't stop working as a prostitute since she is not a ''RichIdiotWithNoDayJob''.

* In season 3 of ''DowntonAbbey'', Isobel Hughes discovers that Ethel Parks has become a prostitute after having had an illegitimate son in the previous season. TruthInTelevision as this was common among disgraced unwed mothers at the time.

* Sonya in ''Literature/CrimeAndPunishment'' is technically a [[HookerWithAHeartOfGold prostitute]] but fits this trope because she is [[SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan single]] and does it to provide for her family.

* Note to [[KidsAreCruel cruel kids]]: Do not tease Michael Myers in the ''Film/{{Halloween}}'' remake about how his mom is a pole dancer.

TruthInTelevision, by the way. Usually leads to becoming a HookerWithAHeartOfGold, in which case see SonOfAWhore. May also be used to give the DisposableSexWorker a sympathetic backstory. Compare with JustifiedCriminal.

* This trope proves to be a godsend for Godai, the male lead of ''MaisonIkkoku''. The young man is trained in early childhood education and hoping to work in a elementary school, until he's laid off and the only work he can find is a strip joint. After a humiliating period as a street barker, things turn around when one of the dancers, who is a single mother who couldn't afford daycare, is forced to bring her toddler to work. In this situation Godai is ordered to take care of the child safely out of sight in the back, and does so well that the other dancers, predominately single mothers themselves, ask him to take care of their kids. Pretty soon Godai is running an excellent daycare centre at the strip joint and is deeply valued by the rest of the staff.

* This trope proves to be a godsend for Godai, the male lead of ''MaisonIkkoku''. The young man is trained in early childhood education and hoping to work in a elementary school, until he' laid off and the only work he can find is a strip joint. After a humiliating period as a street barker, things turn around when one of the dancers, who is a single mother who couldn't afford daycare, is forced to bring her toddler to work. In this situation Godai is ordered to take care of the child safely out of sight in the back, and does so well that the other dancers, predominately single mothers themselves, ask him to take care of their kids. Pretty soon Godai is running an excellent daycare centre at the strip joint and is deeply valued by the rest of the staff.

* Mako Nakarai's mother in ''{{Bokurano}}'' is this. Unusually she was a prosititue before she had her daughter but genuinely loves her.

* DemiMoore's character in ''{{Film/Striptease}}'', though she starts out not to support her daughter but to get money to appeal the custody decision against her.

* Central to the premise of ''{{Literature/Striptease}}'', both the Carl Hiaasen book and the movie.

** Another episode had his mom getting cast as [[{{Macbeth}} Lady Macbeth]]: "I don't have to take off my top... but I do anyway!"

* DemiMoore's character in ''{{Striptease}}'', though she starts out not to support her daughter but to get money to appeal the custody decision against her.

* Central to the premise of ''{{Striptease}}'', both the Carl Hiaasen book and the movie.

* ''Dangerous Beauty'' was about a 16th century woman who becomes a courtesan to support herself and her mother.

* DemiMoore's character in ''Striptease,'' though she starts out not to support her daughter but to get money to appeal the custody decision against her.

* Central to the premise of ''Striptease'', both the Carl Hiaasen book and the movie.

* It was implied that Madea (''Diary Of A Mad Black Woman'', etc) might have been a single mom stripper at least once.

TruthInTelevision, by the way. Usually leads to becoming a HookerWithAHeartOfGold, in which case see SonOfAWhore. May also be used to give the DisposableSexWorker a sympathetic backstory. Compare with JustifiedCriminal.

* ''{{Garth Ennis}}'' ''The Pro'' is a superhero parody where a woman in this trope gets given superpowers. She doesn't stop working as a prostitute since she is not a ''{{rich idiot with no day job}}''.

* Vivica Fox's character in ''IndependenceDay''. Unlike most examples however, she does it by choice (being in a long-term relationship with a well-to-do [[strike:soldier]] Marine Corps aviator) and the film deserves credit for not making her any less sympathetic.
* Note to [[KidsAreCruel cruel kids]]: Do not tease Michael Myers in the ''Film/{{Halloween}}'' remake about how his mom is a pole dancer.
* Arlene [=McKinney=] in ''{{Pay It Forward}}''.

* In ''Theatre/LesMiserables'' Fantine is a woman who was a {{Star Crossed Lovers}} but was abandoned, and needs to send money to care for her child. She tries to stay pure but is forced to quit her job after being ''falsely accused'' of prostitution. She does turns to prostitution afterwards, and is quickly arrested for that.

* Miss Pasternak on TwoAndAHalfMen.

* Frederico in ''SixFeetUnder'' had an affair with a stripper who was a single mom. He didn't really have that much sex with her, as much as he just bought her lots of nice things she never asked for in the first place.
* ''Series/{{Starsky and Hutch}}'': One of these is Starsky's love interest of the week in "The Las Vegas Strangler". Surprisingly, she makes it out of the episode alive.
* Lieutenant Matthew Scott from ''Series/StargateUniverse'' [[spoiler: has an ex who turns out to be this.]]

* In Juvenile's video for "Rodeo", the camera goes "behind the scenes" at a strip club. The dancers are all [[TheWoobie sympathetic]], facing such issues as overdue bills, jealous boyfriends, schoolwork, breakups, crass treatment from patrons, and all that, but TheShowMustGoOn. One of the dancers has a baby with her backstage.

** And Hayley working as a strip club waitress (then as a stripper after her boss and a patron tell Hayley that being a stripper isn't exploitative) in "Stan Knows Best" after Stan takes her credit card and stops paying her way through community college

* T-Shirt Hell, purveyor of offensive cotton outerwear, feature a shirt that says "[[http://www.tshirthell.com/funny-shirts/i-support-single-moms/ I Support Single Moms]]" alongside a silhouette rather reminiscent of mudflap girls but dancing around a pole.

** Another episode had his mom getting cast as [[{{Macbeth}} Lady Macbeth]]: "I don't have to take off my top...but I do anyway!"

** The couch gag for "Beware My Cheating Bart" had a couch playing the role of a single mom stripper.

* ''{{Starsky and Hutch}}'': One of these is Starsky's love interest of the week in "The Las Vegas Strangler". Surprisingly, she makes it out of the episode alive.

* Yasuko Takasu, Ryuji's mom in ''ToraDora'' isn't a stripper, but using her sex-appeal while waiting tables and entertaining bar patrons is part of her job.

*** Seems like the kid was just impatient to see his mother at the end of the day. Since they literally dance off into the night together, it's reasonable to immagine that family time is appreciated after the days she has.