If someone tells me I can't do something, then the first thing
I'm going to do is I'm going to do it to prove a point.
I'm 5'2", I'm 15st. I love pole dancing.
CHEERING
I describe myself as fat.
I don't see fat as this negative word.
I hate being called curvy, it makes me cringe so much.
I think if I did go on a really hard-core diet and exercise regime,
I probably could be really toned and really slim,
but I'm far too lazy, I can't be bothered.
I'd rather be out enjoying myself.
So, tonight, I'm going to Manchester for a pole showcase.
I'm performing.
I was convinced I was too fat to pole dance.
The first thing I asked them was - what's the weight limit
for the poles? Some of the negative messages I've had in the past,
they all revolve around my size.
"You fat bitch, you fat stripper, go and put your clothes on,
"you're a whale."
It tends to be a girl tagging her friends in a video
and then they start commenting, as if I can't see what they're saying.
And it makes me really sad when it's women doing it
because women should be bringing each other up,
there's enough pushing women down.
See you later.
Love you. Love you.
I think on public transport, I do sometimes feel like people
are looking at me.
When I was on the train, I was quite aware of that woman
looking at me. I think you automatically assume sometimes
that it is negative when someone is staring at you.
When I was at school, I did always feel like the fat kid.
I didn't feel like I looked like the other girls, and I was fat,
I was the fat kid. I just ate too much.
I went to an all-girls school, so it was really bitchy.
They didn't hold back on what they said to you.
I hated how I looked.
I shop online mostly because I don't find the kind of clothes
I want stocked in high-street stores, and a lot of the
high-street stores don't even stock my size.
It depends where I'm shopping, I'm anywhere from a size 16
to a size 20.
Ten.
Basically one's an eight, two's a ten...
What's the biggest one? ..three's a 12. 14.
Is that the biggest size? It is, yeah. Yeah, OK.
A lot of stuff was made, home-made, like this. Yeah.
Especially because people were still rationing... Yeah.
..as well, back in like the '50s.
I find vintage shopping really hard.
They're catering for practically four sizes
and that is it.
This is like the only thing in the shop that fits.
And even then, it's really tight.
I don't think it's easy to find sexy underwear, sexy lingerie,
in plus size.
Excuse me, do you know if that green one comes any bigger
than the 16 to 18?
That's the biggest. Is that the biggest? Aw.
It does make me feel slightly judged when I go into shops
that do sell that sort of underwear.
I feel like I shouldn't be in there because...
"We're not stocking your size, so what are you even looking for?"
Sorry.
Aw, thank you. I love your hair.
On my way out, a lady did come up to me.
I don't think she worked there, she just came up to me
out of the blue and just told me how much she loves my outfit.
It was just such a good feeling, just to have someone appreciate
what you're wearing.
I think I've got a couple of hours until the show starts tonight.
I still need to wash my hair, do my make-up, get changed,
sort my bag out.
I need to get ready and go before I feel nervous.
I always wanted to do pole, but I never had the confidence to do it
because I had this image in my head of what pole dancers looked like
and they were all really flexible and they were all really bendy
and skinny and tall, and just not what I was at all.
If you feel sexy, you're sexy. It doesn't matter if you're
size eight or you're a size 28.
Like, who cares?
I don't think I'll feel nervous till I get there.
I do have days where I just feel like I don't know what
I'm doing, I shouldn't be doing pole dancing,
I need to go on a diet, I need to change everything about me.
From what I've seen, when there has been negativity against
plus-size pole dancers, they have said they don't want
fat people representing their sport,
they don't want fat people to be the face of pole dancing,
that they think it's a joke.
When I perform, I tend to use the name Alabama Whirley
rather than my own name, because my own name's really boring
for a pole dancer.
I do feel really sexy.
I feel, like, ready, like, Alabama ready.
CHEERING
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Yes!
I just love how I feel when I'm in my shoes,
I love having my outfits on, I love hearing cheers of people.
This is the first I've seen the audience reaction.
I didn't realise how many people stood up to get closer to watch.
I like showing off my bum and my legs the most.
I think a part of me is surprised at how much people loved it.
I think seeing faces, you can see the genuine emotion
that people were feeling when they were watching.
You can't feel but help confident when you're in that
sort of environment with such supportive and empowering women
around you.
There's no better feeling than being on that stage.
CHEERING AND WHISTLING
It couldn't have gone better.