The Great "Massage Therapist = Prostitute" Debate

[moonrock]

Yesterday watching a Lifetime movie, I discovered there was a new show starting next month with Jennifer Love Hewitt with the basic premise that she plays a woman who gets divorced, is a single mom, and needs money - so she gets a job as a "massage therapist" in a "day spa" that gives a lot more than just massages.

Given my profession, this outraged me. Understandable, yes? I posted a few things on my Facebook and I may have tweeted Lifetime and JLH a few dozen times, thanks to a debate I got into with some jackass who decided to tell me that it is perfectly okay to perpetuate stereotypes when they are for entertainment.

The Facebook post was clearly a serious tone, pretty obvious that I was pissed - and my cousin (female) decided it was an opportune time to post a comment of "so do you give happy endings? lol"

Uh, right. That was totally acceptable. Great timing for it, right?





or you can view it directly here: https://www.facebook.com/moonrock/posts/341246639241381

I eventually gave up and left it be, Kyle joined the debate, who then also gave up - my cousin is trying to argue points that were never part of the issue in the first place (yes, women are always "targets" for attacks, they are always at risk in every day situations - does that change that a television show continuing a stereotype that shows millions of people that massage therapists are prostitutes is okay? A television show that you can easily argue puts me at even MORE of a risk than the "every day" situations that every person in the world is already in?)

I was basically just like *eyerollwhatever* and then her older sister jumped in and left a post on Lisa's wall "Do CPR trainers give happy endings?"

At this point, fuck family, I am about to de-friend them both and deal with the wrath of pissing off family. And this is coming from ME. I adore my family. I've never gotten into this heated of a battle with them - they do stupid shit, I roll my eyes and get over it. This time you're arguing that LOL ITS FUNNY TO CALL YOUR PROFESSION PROSTITUTES AND LOL STEREOTYPES OH WELL THEY EXIST YOU CANT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, WE'LL JUST LAUGH AT IT AND CONTINUE IT.

/rage.

Hay, LJ friends. What do you think about this all?

Comments

[frogger414.livejournal.com]

Srsly? That's pretty ridiculous (all of it). I think the movie sounds like a bad idea, esp if it's making the "practice" look appealing and ok.

I value the help that I received from LMT's and without the help, I would have not recovered from various auto accidents. I take their work seriously and I've had one in the past short change my time and I complained. If they hold me to a high standard of professionalism as a client, I will do the same. And as massage is becoming more mainstream and popular I hope that LMT's are ok and that people don't get the wrong idea about them.

Point: One bad apple can spoil the bunch in regards to stereotypes and I wish that it'd end

[xeross609.livejournal.com]

"esp if it's making the "practice" look appealing and ok."

Well, it is Jennifer Love Hewitt playing a sexy massage therapist that gives happy endings. From my male dirty minded perspective, this makes it seem VERY appealing. This is about as far from empowering women as Lifetime can get.

[moonrock.livejournal.com]

It just made me so dumbfounded that she seems to think that lil ol' her making the joke isn't "continuing the stereotype" in any way and GEEZ JUST STOP BEING SO SERIOUS.

She is totally the type who just sits back and lets other people make change in the world and is like HOORAY MY FACEBOOK POST OF MY BRA COLOR HELPED CURE BREAST CANCER.

Ragetastic over here, yo.