City won’t continue testing of massage therapists

Bryce Alderton

Massage therapists in Huntington Beach no longer have to be tested for

sexually transmitted diseases after police eliminated a 17-year-old

requirement in the city’s ordinance.

Huntington Beach Police on Friday decided to scrap the requirement,

which required massage therapists in the city submit to annual testing of

syphilis, gonorrhea and Human Immunodeficiency Virus, after facing the

ire of city and national therapists for weeks.

“[The ordinance] served its purpose and was not applicable for current

needs,” said police Lt. Preston Linker.

The ordinance was created in 1985 when there was a recurring problem

of massage establishments turning into fronts for prostitution, but

Linker said there has not been a sexually related violation during

inspections of massage therapists in Huntington Beach in about two years.

One of the therapists that called for the removal of the requirement

was Mark Dixon, who has spent 14 years in the sports massage therapy

profession and last week opened a practice in Huntington Beach in

addition to his office in Newport Beach.

Dixon met with Huntington Beach Mayor Debbie Cook, council members and

Huntington Beach Police, arguing that the requirement was illegal and

mistreated his profession.

“It’s a high-caliber ordinance that Huntington Beach can be proud of,

it has the some of the strictest requirements in California,” Dixon said.

“But there was no point in testing for diseases transmitted by sexual

conduct. It’s illegal -- doctors and lawyers aren’t required to divulge

their HIV status in California. We want to be respected as

professionals.”

Massage therapists in Huntington Beach must complete a minimum of 500

hours at a state-approved school and prove they are certified by a

national professional organization. They are still tested for

Tuberculosis and Hepatitis B and C.

Police originally created the ordinance to control prostitution, but

Dixon said efforts should be directed more to preventing transmittal of

sexually transmitted diseases.

“It was a weak attempt to control prostitution,” Dixon said. “Instead

of testing, they should be training people on how to avoid transmitting a

contagious disease. I respect the fact the city wants a safe environment

for the public and we have that. This is the first indication the city

respects [massage therapy] as a true healing profession and I’m grateful

to them.”