What It’s Like Being Married to a Male Stripper

"From the very beginning I knew what his job was," says Carri Ann Cedeno, who has been with her partner Anthony Rodriguez, a dancer at the Hunk-O-Mania nightclub, for three years. "So from day one that was a decision I had to make: Is this something I can deal with, [or] can I not?"

One thing that took some getting used to was the reaction from other people when they hear what her boyfriend does for work: "Ive found that people can be put off by it at first, theyre really surprised, its not what they expect me to say. But I've never had a really negative reaction; more than anything people just like to ask questions. Like, How do you deal with it? Is it exciting? Is it fun? Do you get jealous?"

Carri Ann is remarkably secure in her answers to those questions. No, she doesn't get jealous or feel insecure about the thought of Anthony dancing for other womenbecause there is a clear line between what he does for work, and their private life together.

"Weve always been very straightforward and open with each other," she says. "I think as long as youre secure with one another and what you haveI mean Im a very confident person on top of thatbut that really helps me keep an open mind and realize that it is a job at the end of the day... And hes not going to want to lose us, to risk the last three years, over someone whos there for maybe 15 minutes."

View this post on Instagram Just trying to make the ladies smile ... down below Hunk o mania showtimes Thur-Sunday 9-11pm @hunkomaniausa #birthday #birthdaygirl#bachelorette #ladiesnight #girlsnight #malemodel #malestripper #sexy A post shared by Anthony " ROMEO" Rodriguez (@thefinestromeo_) on Aug 10, 2019 at 11:52am PDT

Fran Peri has been with her husband Armand Peri, the founder of Hunk-O-Mania, for 15 years, and they have three children together. They are living proof that this kind of relationship can go the distance, provided the trust is there.

"At first its strange, of course," says Fran, "but if you feel like your partner is treating the job as a business, and hes not there to have fun, it creates this mutual trust... The respect has been there since the beginning, Ive always felt respected by Armand, and I dont think he would want to lose what we have over a club fling. Im not particularly jealous, because he doesnt give me a reason to feel that way."

Of course, that doesn't mean there aren't times when the guests at the club themselves misbehave and cross a line , but Armand shuts that down every time. "I focus on being professional at all times, I have a job to do, and that job is to provide entertainmentand thats all," he says. "You want to create an environment where the women coming in to watch the show feel safe, and it feels like an escape, but you have to maintain professionalism."

"If they start to get frisky, its up to us to control the situation, and to make sure that everything remains in line. There have been times where the customers have been aggressive because theyre intoxicated, they try to touch you, and you just have to hold your hand and say, This is my job, please remain respectful, were only here to entertain , nothing more.'"