When is a LMT NOT an LMT? When they are a prostitute of course! While I am personally rather opinionated about things (I know that will surprise you) I do not bring that to the table nor anywhere near my clients and patients. However, a recent “episode” of The View and the ridiculously ignorant, sensationalistic and blatantly stereotypical comments made by the hosts and guests has just sent my blood pressure through the roof!! I find it necessary to clear the air!
I, and every LMT I know work very hard to bring help to our clients. Anyone with any education in massage therapy has been taught that sex is not within our scope of practice and highly unprofessional. We hold ourselves to a noble example and do not cross “that” line. There are from time to time cases that pop up in the media of masseuses that cross that line. They are the exception and not the rule! You can find them on Craigslist, and even in your local yellow pages under massage. Responsible LMT’s do what they can to influence media not to associate the two together. But want of a quick buck and professional laziness make our job more difficult. It is the irresponsible media and the recent showing of “The View” where they were discussing “EX- Vice President Al Gore’s” alleged attempts on a self described “masseuse” which led them into a vitriolic thinly rational defense of their own insecurities about massage therapy, therapists and being touched.
While I am not about to venture a guess as to innocence or guilt of either party. I would like to point out a couple things. First, touch is touch! It is the intent of that touch that makes the difference. Intent is personal. So if YOUR intent is to be sexual that will come out in your touch or in the way you perceive the touch. Inflicting your personal fantasies on a massage session is an indecent accusation on a professional. I personally take GREAT offense at this! Do women have that same fantasy about a gynecologist, or men their proctologist? Maybe, (though I doubt it) but they would be the exception. NOT the rule!
Second, length of a massage again has nothing to do with sex. THe not so thinly veiled accusation was that anything over an hour is indecent. While 1 hour is the standard measure of time for a massage it is not unusual for therapists to work 2, 3 and 4 hours on a client to resolve an issue. Measuring honest therapy which is the rule with the exception of ignoble lust due to a measure of time is a sensationalist tactic of titillation. As a professional I can tell you that working with soft tissue goes at the speed with which the tissue opens up and not on your consideration of minutes and hours. If a client is only in town for a few hours or days and needs concentrated work then you do the best you can with the time allotted. Which goes the same for someone doing short term chair massage at an airport.
Third, supposedly she was paid $540 for 3 hours. I don’t know what her hotel contract states for payment. While I don’t charge anywhere near that rate I am not going to assume guilt by value either. Nor would I accuse someone of something so unprofessional and reprehensible by the value of what they get paid.
Massage Therapy is a medical profession here in Florida, as it is in many other states with Licensing (Portland included). We LMT’s (Licensed Massage Therapists) do our best to provide professional services to our patients and clients in a comfortable and safe environment. Ignorant assumptions and insecurity based back room humor disguised as fact from the irresponsible media does harm to us all.
Relax and Heal With Gary Gammon LMT, LLCC
