Betel Nut Girl

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A decorated betel nut kiosk on a street near Provincial Road 4.
Betel Nut Girl

As betel nut beauty or betel nut beauty ( Chinese  檳榔西施  /  槟榔西施 , Pinyin Binglang Xishi ) are referred to just dressed girls in Taiwan at street kiosks betel nuts for sale. This unique Taiwanese phenomenon is named after the legendary beauty Xi Shi from the spring and autumn annals .

Betel nut kiosks are decorated with lots of fluorescent tubes, often green, and are located near highways or arterial roads in major cities on Taiwan's west coast. The main clientele are truck drivers , construction workers and market vendors who stay up late and do heavy work. The effect of the betel nut is said to be stimulating and invigorating, much stronger than coffee, for example . The high profit of the betel nut shops has led to a widespread use of these shops and great creativity in the body presentation of girls. Erotic appearance with lingerie , high heels or dressing according to visual kei and in schoolgirl uniforms are very common. Giant posters are also hung next to or on the shops, showing the saleswoman in various poses, almost naked (see Sex sells ).

Betel nut girls tend to belong to less well off milieus . Some are early school leavers, others have to earn money for their families. The betel nut business is far more lucrative for unskilled women than working in stores like 7-Eleven .

Some groups working for women's rights controversially advocate that betel nut girls dress provocatively to sell their goods in order to improve their economic situation. This is justified by the fact that international supermodels , pop stars and exhibition models do not dress less provocatively, but their activities are definitely accepted by society. From the point of view of these groups, politics with regulations acted hypocritically and discriminatory .

Others criticized the mass media for portraying girls negatively while neglecting their social and economic backgrounds. The Taiwanese organization "Garden of Hope", which works against sexual exploitation, classifies this work as child labor by management and family. From their point of view, the activity of the betel nut girl is the first step towards physical abuse and prostitution .

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