Massage Therapy Journal Fall 2024

Fall 2024 • 27

“Nonbinary” is the most commonly used term, but words like genderqueer, agender, bigender and genderfluid may be preferred by some individuals. Being nonbinary is not the same as being intersex. Gender identity is innate, and even young children (including my son) know exactly who they are at very early ages. This is true for everyone, including you! 2. How should I address a transgender person in my practice? Your intake forms already have a place for your clients’ names, but there is still more you can do to create a more inclusive practice. First, make sure you include additional space for a client’s preferred name or nickname. Out of

habit, many clients will put their legal name on a document, even when insurance isn’t involved. By including a space for a preferred name, you can be sure that you’re addressing your client with care and respect every time they visit your practice. Additionally, including a space on your intake form for pronouns (she/her, he/him and they/ them are common) might seem unnecessary if you personally have never had to worry about the way someone refers to you. But, you can’t always correctly guess a person’s pronouns based on how they look or what their voice sounds like over the phone. Using the correct name and pronouns for our clients and colleagues can lower rates of depression and go a long way toward

Almost overnight, my moody and withdrawn child exuded a light and a joy that we as his parents hadn’t seen in years. He no longer had to pretend to be someone he wasn’t, and because our love and acceptance of him had not changed, he felt safe to live as his authentic self both at home and in public. I saw in real time how affirming him in his gender identity was literally saving his life, and I vowed that I would rather change the entire world than have the world try to change my perfect son. Since then, I’ve made it my mission to educate others on the importance of allyship and being an “up-stander” to protect and advance the rights of nonbinary and transgender people like my precious son everywhere. What I’ve learned in the past decade is that there are a lot of people out there (you’re probably one of them!) who want to do the right thing and stand on the side of justice, love and equality, but just don’t know how or where to begin when it comes to trans rights. We as massage therapists are obligated to value our clients’ individuality. As our AMTA Code of Ethics states, we must: “Acknowledge the inherent worth and individuality of each person by not discriminating or behaving in any prejudicial manner with clients and/ or colleagues.” This sentiment should absolutely include our LGBTQ clients.

Photo courtesy of Amber Briggle

The Power of Personal Stories

In addition to being a massage therapist and owner of Soma Massage Therapy in the Dallas, TX, area, I’m also the mother of a transgender 16 year old. My son “came out” to me almost as soon as he could speak, but it took years to understand what he was trying to tell me. I finally—and fortunately—understood him when he was in 1st grade, which is when his dad and I gave him the space to socially transition: changing his name, cutting his hair, wearing more traditionally masculine-aligned clothing, and using male pronouns (he/him/his).

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