Practically
Speaking
with James Walker
Past Practical Columns
As
a male electrologist who treats males, females, and transsexuals, I hear it all
the time. “I am so glad I found you, no one else will help me with my problem.”
“You are the only person for miles around who will do SRS [sex reassignment
surgery] prep work, or bikini work.” The story that makes me most embarrassed
for my profession is, “Most of the electrologists I called either hung up on me
or called me a sick pervert when I asked if they provided this service.” Many
prospective clients are treated with such disrespect by some people in our
profession, they give up seeking our services and turn to laser; they simply
cannot find an electrologist who will discuss their case. But I have yet to hear
of any doctor’s office hanging up on a caller enquiring about treatments of this
kind.
For those electrologists who are unable or unwilling to offer these services,
there is good news. If you are an independent business you don’t have to treat
anyone you don’t want to. No one can force us to remove any hairs from any body
or body part we might wish to avoid touching.
As a medical service, we are only obligated to perform services that are medical
necessities. And other than inverted or ingrown eyelashes, most of the work we
do cannot be stretched to fit in the category of “medical necessity.” As a
beauty service, we have no obligation to take any client for any reason.
The bad news is we live in a litigious society, and although we would likely win
a lawsuit filed against us for “discrimination,” or “failure to provide
services,” But a crafty lawyer could file on the basis of racial or gender bias,
and we might possibly have a hard time proving otherwise — especially if we are
discriminating on that basis.
Regardless of her reasons for not accepting male clients for electrolysis
treatments, the electrologist must maintain her professionalism in every way. If
she is going to excuse herself from providing treatment to someone who is asking
for her professional help, she must do it in a principled manner. The man who
telephones an electrologist from a maze of company names in the Yellow Pages may
be anticipating a negative response from the female who answers his call, but
having seen this practitioner’s professional credentials in her advertising, he
will reason that she, at least, is the person best qualified to recommend
another electrologist who will provide the service he needs. The dialogue goes
something like: “I’m sorry, but we don’t perform that service here, we don’t
have the equipment, or the experience needed for that kind of work. You should
give All Bare Electrolysis a call, they specialize in those treatments.”
The caller will bless the electrologist for her candor and happily telephone her
referral (even though he suspects she is fibbing about having no experience or
expertise).
Apart from being nervous about performing male pubic-area epilation, many
electrologists fear that their personal safety will be at greater risk if they
accept male clients. I believe much of their apprehension in this case is
unwarranted, because the average male or transsexual has only a professional
interest in an electrologist. Furthermore (remembering the great difficulty he
has gone through to get treatment), he is usually very careful to avoid any
situation that might mean starting over again. However I certainly don’t
minimize electrologists’ fears. Many electrologists work alone — often in the
evening for the convenience of those clients who are not able to make daytime
appointments — and given these circumstances female practitioners must be extra
cautious. Fear for one’s safety is nothing to make light of.
We are, after all, prime targets for robbery and possibly physical violence,
perpetrated these days by women as well as men. Latest statistics show that
female-committed crimes are on the rise, many of them working in conjunction
with male criminals, and every electrologist should have a contingency plan in
place for their protection at all times. There are quite a lot of ideas and
suggestions on this subject that need to be aired in this column, and I will
certainly be doing just that in the near future.
Past Practical Columns
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