massage, sensuality & sexuality

[Keith Grant]

A few comments on the arousal/sensuality/sexuality and breast massage
threads:

I'll readily agree that even massage that is intended to be nonsexual can at
times lead to some arousal - especially in the young and hormone charged.
To focus on that however is to ignore the issue of choice and personal
responsibility. If you ignore the rules in sports you get penalized -
at times even sidelined. If, despite some arousal, you can't relate to
another personal with respect and consideration and demonstrate an ability
to control your actions why be surprised to find yourself unwelcome. Yes,
one can still make jokes about sex, but using humor to belittle and ignore
womens' objections about being treated as unfeeling objects isn't all that
funny. Several politicians learned that lesson the hard way in the last
election - either by losing or by winning narrowly after a very hard
fought race.

As to massaging breasts etc.:
In any kind of professional work, massaging genitals and nipples is strictly
avoided. Legitimate practitioners have a hard enough time with licensing
laws and public image without asking for problems. Downings nonsexual
breast movement may be appropriate, but only with persons with whom the
practicioner has both trust and clarity. There are a large number
of victims of sexual and/or physical abuse who seek massage as part of
their healing process. Many times they may not even have conscious
memory of their abuse history. There is a lot of potential for doing as much
damage as good by being careless and triggering vulnerabilities.

Professional massage practitioner/client relationships have some strict
ethical considerations. Because a practitioner/client relationship almost
always implies unequal power, dual relationships where a person is both a
client and a sexual partner are considered unethical. You can have one or
the other but not both. It's not even considered advisable to switch from
one to the other without a several month cooling off period.

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I Keith Eric Grant I same thing, moving at different speeds. A I
I k...@strathspey.llnl.gov I sense of humor is just common sense, dancing. I
I I (or perhaps dancing is just common sense) I
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