Let's Set The Record Straight
It has sadly come to my attention through my association that Lifetime television is currently airing a show called the CLIENT LIST which protrays massage therapy to include inappropriate sexual contact.
This is just one more slap in the face to Licensed Massage Therapist practicing within the guides of a Health Professional. It is sad that in this day and age of what we know about the profession of massage, that we have to still combat this misnomers about our profession.
In my years of practice, I too have been asked in the most subtlest of ways about helping to ease the fictional "upper groin or thigh pain". Which seems to be the new code for sexual contact.
I take this as a personal attach on something I truly dedicate myself to. My clients not only come to distress from hectic lives; they are grandmothers with arthritis, traumatic brain injured clients, expectant mothers, persons with chronic pain, travelers unwinding after long flights, or recovering from surgeries. It is an insult to be contrasted along side with what this show represents.
I have know even my male counter parts to state they are approached by other men for this purpose or inappropriate sexual contact. So much so that one even gave up his practice to refocus on his career in housing rehab work. This leaves him still to pay a school bill of well over $29,000 for his unused education.
I have had other respectable female therapist be propositioned at the end of a therapy session that was screened by the company she worked for the provide on-site therapy sessions. When does it end?
Well here's your chance to voice your opinion. If you value what massage therapy has done for your health and well being, please click on the link and sign the petition as I did to have this show pulled off the air.
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ABMP Calls for Cancellation of Lifetime’s Unsavory MT Portrayal
The television network Lifetime is releasing a new series called “The Client List.” The storyline: Single mother massage therapist ends up working at a “spa” that is really a storefront for prostitution. ABMP has sent the following letter to the network’s president calling for the show’s cancellation. If you would like to register a complaint with Lifetime Network, you may join other massage therapists commenting on “The Client List’s” Facebook page.
February 9, 2012
Lifetime Networks
Nancy Dubuc, President and General Manager
111 8th Avenue
New York, NY 10011
Dear Ms. Dubuc:
It is with great disappointment that we’ve reviewed the site and accompanying music video for the March premiere of “The Client List” on Lifetime Networks (www.mylifetime.com/shows/the-client-list).
It’s unacceptable that Lifetime has chosen to develop a story line around an outdated stereotype that massage therapy has unsavory elements. Ironic that this promo should come to light at the same time the Los Angeles Times published a lead story underscoring the benefits of massage— www.latimes.com/health/la-he-massage-20120202,0,343517.story.
You can no doubt imagine my surprise when learning this new program was being developed for Lifetime—I assumed it was something being offered on Cinemax. Perhaps Lifetime has determined its way to stand out is to win the race to the bottom.
We represent a profession of 300,000 U.S-based massage therapists—including our 80,000 members (professional practitioners or students in training) across the country. Each one of these individuals is specifically educated and dedicated to providing therapeutic massage services to their clients. The majority of the massage profession is female—and while a fictitious show may seem on its surface innocuous, promoting a caricature can bring unintended consequences that have the potential to harm hard-working professional women. This seems antithetical to Lifetime’s mission.
In this age of social media, word is spreading quickly. We are partnering with other leadership groups in our profession in speaking out against “The Client List.” We call on Lifetime to halt the show’s launch and look forward to celebrating its cancellation.
I am certain you and your network can do better.
Sincerely,
Les Sweeney
Les Sweeney, NCTM
President
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