Dua Lipa defends her visit to a strip club: 'We have to support sex workers'

Dua Lipa is hitting back at critics who slammed her for visiting a strip club last year.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, she spoke about her choice to go to a strip club after the 2020 Grammy Awards show -- a choice which was criticised by many.

"I just feel like, if you're a feminist, you have to also support women in all fields of work," she explained during the interview.

At the time, the 'Physical' singer was slammed for "exploiting women" and being "anti-feminist". She was filmed at the venue with fellow artists Lizzo and Lil Nas X.

"We have to support sex workers, we have to believe that [work] is their choice and their right," she went on to say in the interview.

"It seems quite hypocritical, I think, people picking and choosing as to how they want to support women and when it suits them. That's another form of misogyny, which really derives from the male gaze."

After footage of her at the club, throwing money over women and putting notes in dancers' underwear, was posted online, the hashtag #dualipaisoverparty trended on Twitter.

Just last month, Lipa addressed cancel culture, and the immense pressure that comes with being online.

"I think there is so much judgement and meanness," she told Attitude. "Cancel culture is so dangerous and toxic. Being funny is the greatest currency, even if it's at the expense of somebody else."

She also addressed the bullying she experienced at the start of her career: "For a short period of time it messed with my mental health. I'd go out on stage and if somebody was filming me, in my head… I was like 'They're going to film it so they can laugh at me.'"

She added that ultimately the criticism made her stronger. She explained, "Yeah, it was a tough time, but I'm also so grateful for experience because I became so much stronger. I became so much more confident after that."

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