Queer Centered Bodywork

Welcome to my first true blog post! When I was thinking about all of the many topics I could write about, there was no way I could start with anything other than this. As a massage therapist in private practice, one of the many joys of my work is that I get to show up exactly as I am, with all of the parts of my personhood. Being queer and trans is intrinsic to me, and therefore intrinsic to my massage practice. But what does that actually mean? What is queer centered massage and bodywork? Why is it important? 

To me, queer centered massage and bodywork is the practice of creating a treatment space for queer people, by queer people. When I went to massage school in 2020, I was astounded by the amount of people in my community who shared with me they had never received a massage before, and expressed their excitement that they could receive bodywork from a friend, from a person in their community who shared their identity. When I realized how special this was, I knew I would never be able to offer massage therapy in a way that was not tailored to queer people every step of the way.

 For my practice this starts with the simple act of me sharing identity with my clients. It starts with me being entirely myself in my professional space. I don’t tone down my queer or trans-ness in any capacity, because if I did that, what would that say about your own identity? My intake paperwork is gender neutral, no legal name requirements or questions about sex assigned at birth. I leave a space for you to tell me the pronouns you use, and let everything else be shared as it naturally comes up. It looks like me being knowledgeable about the specific struggles many queer people experience in their bodies, and knowing effective courses of treatment. I love to laugh with my clients about their bold, messy queer lives, and I love to sit with my clients in the pain and grief and fear that many of us feel, as those things are often hand in hand. 

Queer centered bodywork and massage care feels especially important now, as our community is experiencing what right wing control of our government means for us. Our existence alone is in resistance to the institutions that seek to erase our identities, and the most vulnerable in our community are the first targets. In times like these, we remember that we can find safety, love, joy, and care with each other. We are reminded that taking care of ourselves is not selfish, it is not a luxury, it is how we stay alive and able to stand tall in the face of so much institutional hatred. As a queer massage therapist it is a privilege and an honor to be a piece of the puzzle in taking care of our community. It is a privilege and an honor to get to express radical acceptance and unconditional positive regard to every single person who gets on my table. My practice will always be for us first. 

And to my sweet clients who may not be a part of the queer community, thank you for being here. Thank you for supporting a small queer business that is fighting the burdens of capitalism along with you. Thank you for your referrals, for trusting me, and for putting your care into the hands of a little gay person like me.