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'Kids' pole dance instructor married to convicted child sex offender, sparks outrage

The advertisement began to circulate on October 7 across social media from an Indiana-based business promoting pole dancing classes for children

Controversy regarding the sexualization of children was reignited after an advertisement for child-friendly pole dancing classes went viral. As the story unfolded, it emerged that the instructor of the classes is married to a man previously convicted of child sex offenses.

The advertisement began to circulate Thursday, October 7, from an Indiana-based business promoting pole dancing classes for children. Tiff's Pole Fitness, located in Jasper, Indiana, originally offered "pole fitness" classes for adults. A class schedule that has since emerged on social media outlined some of the offerings that had distinctly sexualized themes, including one titled "flirty flow." However, the problem arose when online sleuths notices some classes were being targeted at minors, the Post Millenial reported.

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The social media storm began earlier this week when Tiff's posted an information graphic to their Facebook advertising pole fitness classes for children aged 7-12. The ad featured the artwork of a Disney Princess from the popular kid's movie 'Tangled' hanging off a vertical pole. A disclaimer on the side of the poster read, "No worries... your child will be taught age-appropriate pole sports techniques only." However, that message contradicted Tiff's Facebook page, in which a post said they were "now offering kids pole ages 7 to 12 & extra flirty flow classes!"

There was considerable uproar and concern on social media, with many blasting the concept due to its commonly perceived sexual connotations.

"We might need to turn society off and turn it back on again. I think it’s broken," journalist Cassandra Fairbanks tweeted, sharing a graphic of the advert.

"Kids always have help ruining their lives. Like from moms who push them into pole dancing," columnist Marina Medvin tweeted. 

"I checked, and this is a real business. They advertise the regular "pole sport" to girls 13+, and kiddie pile dancing to 6+. There are comments in support of "pole sports", from women. Because if women sexualize children IT'S OK, RIGHT??" one Twitter user noted.
 

Following the backlash, owner Tiffany Huebner quickly deleted the post and replaced it with an attempt to offer clarity and justification for the classes. "I know it's going to take time for everyone to drop the stigma of 'it's a stripper pole'... " she wrote, sharing the video of an Eastern European 11-year-old female performing in a "sports pole" competition. The video was from the YouTube channel of Russian instructor Kristian Lebedev, who is popular for his child-oriented "pole fitness" movement.

But Tiffany's attempts at justifying the classes were not well received, prompting her to delete the business' Facebook page altogether. One of the last posts made by Tiffs Pole Fitness Inc. talked about deleting posts. "I have deleted one of my recent posts because the shares and views have extended far beyond our community & area. I didn't anticipate that it would begin to go viral & I want to protect the privacy of my students & our small community," she wrote.

However, an unexpected development in the story sent shockwaves across social media. A criminal record search conducted by TruthFinder found that Tiffany's husband has a 2009 conviction for child sex offenses. Maxwell Garrett Huebner was charged on March 11, 2009, with sexual misconduct with a minor. He was convicted of an offense under Indiana Code 35-42-4-9 – a sexual offense against a minor less than 16 years of age, but at least 14 years of age. According to 4W, Huebner would have been around 21 years old when he committed the crime.

"So the husband of the woman offering KID's POLE DANCING is a REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER?! 6-YEAR-OLDS?! This is where "tolerance" for pedo scum leads," one Twitter user wrote.

"What is happening in our country?! As a society, we have to be very suspicious of the kind of adult(s) who would plan & market a pole dancing class for kids. Learning the criminal history (sex offender?) of her spouse explains a lot. Tremendously disturbing!!" another chimed in.

According to a Dubois County Marriage License registry, Maxwell and Tiffany tied the knot in September 2019, just months after Maxwell's decade-long term on the Indiana Sex And Violent Offender Registry ended. That said, it's unclear if Maxwell had any involvement with the kids-oriented classes conducted by his wife. According to the Indiana Corporate Registry, Tiff's Pole Fitness is offered at the same address where Maxwell Huebner is stated to reside. Meanwhile, Facebook photos show both the Huebners in what appears to be a pole dancing studio, 4W reported.