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Mar. 04, 2009
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

County abolishes rule restricting cross-gender massages

Policy affected mainly lone therapists

By SCOTT WYLAND
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

THEY ALL SCREAMED FOR ICE CREAM -- AND WON

Twenty children screaming for ice cream -- in writing, not with vocal cords -- coaxed Clark County commissioners into softening rules on delivery trucks.

Ice cream trucks can cruise through neighborhoods until 9 p.m. during daylight saving time and 7 p.m. standard time.

Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani on Tuesday proposed limiting the trucks to 8 p.m. during daylight saving time and 7 p.m. standard time.

But Commissioner Lawrence Weekly told of children writing him letters of protest about curbing the icy treats. Commissioner Steve Sisolak said he had to back the kids and reject the 8 p.m. limit as too early in the summer. Giunchigliani relented, and vendors rejoiced.

The new 9 p.m. restriction is only an hour earlier than the current one and very reasonable, said Tammy VanderHeiden, owner of Pooters Ice Cream.

"I wouldn't let my kids come out at 10 o'clock to buy a fudge ice cream," VanderHeiden said.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Massage therapist Dr. Heather Mehudar goes to work on fellow therapist Laura Stendel in her home in Las Vegas on Tuesday afternoon, March 3, 2009. Clark County recently lifted a ban on cross-gender massages, which licensed therapists claimed hurt their business.
Photo by Jason Bean/Review-Journal

A longtime restriction on cross-gender massages in Clark County was rubbed out Tuesday.

County commissioners voted to rescind the rule that licensed massage therapists say lumped them with prostitutes and severely hampered their businesses.

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    • The rule affected mainly lone therapists who do outcalls at homes and in hotel rooms. Casinos, spas and massage establishments were exempt.

    Lifting the rule aligns the county with the cities. Last year, Las Vegas repealed its restriction on massages to the opposite sex. Henderson and North Las Vegas also allow cross-gender massages.

    Those in the industry praised the action, saying that it creates a uniform code across the valley and that legitimate therapists are no longer treated as prostitutes.

    Heather Mehudar, a massage therapist, said the rule made it difficult for her to survive in the tough economy.

    "Ninety percent of the calls I get for my business are males," she said, "so I'm turning away 90 percent of my calls."

    Commissioners also approved shifting responsibility for overseeing therapeutic massage to the state board. The county will issue business licenses to therapists and let the state handle code enforcement.

    Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani proposed the policy changes after state officials told her the county overstepped its authority in limiting what therapists could do. She recalls trying to get the cross-gender rule repealed in 1991 but to no avail.

    Having the state in charge of massage laws will make them consistent in every jurisdiction, Mehudar said.

    One of her clients, Laura Stendel, who helps oversee a large massage staff, said the cross-gender law was stifling because most therapists are women and most men prefer to be massaged by women.

    She never dared to break the rule, Stendel said, because undercover officers sometimes posed as customers. She blamed Nevada's patchwork of legalized prostitution.

    "It's really only this complicated in Las Vegas," she said.

    Removing the cross-gender rule will simplify the profession and boost sales, said Becki Ortiz, a local therapist.

    "In my neighborhood, I could massage the wife but not the husband," Ortiz said. "Now I can do both."

    Contact reporter Scott Wyland at swyland@reviewjournal.com or 702-455-4519.

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    Tonia wrote on March 05, 2009 06:22 PM: I am a Licensed Massage Therapist and it has been a very tough road and I really despise it when people refer to me or even associate me with the prostitutes out there! I went to school, payed for all of my licenses, and pay my taxes and I am completely professional in every way and its a slap in the face. And for all you people out there lets get the name right... Its Massage Therapist.. NOT Masseuse!!!


    L.O.L.A. Lola wrote on March 05, 2009 06:38 AM: Now this is economic stimulus! Who says the commission doesn't care? Let's make LV a unique destination once again! More work for Asian girls.
    Funny, though, I thought the ban was passed by the Herrera/Kenny/Malone commission as part of the payoffs from the strip clubs. The other part being the limits on lap dances.
    If like this move, you'll love Nevada Assembly Bill 184. This bill prohibits discrimination with regard to "gender identity or expression". It's a crack-up! You can come to work in drag and pick your sex on your drivers license. Let's encourage sex offenses and ID fraud at the same time!
    It's a mixed-up muddled-up shook-up world. Except for Lola.


    michael wrote on March 04, 2009 07:21 PM: Any massage parlor that is open at 2 AM is not a legitimate massage parlor...nobody goes looking for a regular massage at 2 AM...no, not even swing shift casino workers...I am one...


    Mac wrote on March 04, 2009 06:44 PM: Uh, how does the first sentence of this article get past the editor!!!????


    Ken wrote on March 04, 2009 02:40 PM: The cynic in me wonders if Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani was motivated to push this by the massage lobby or the penicillin manufacturers lobby.

    What is next on Giunchigliani's list. Passing a law that allows men to give women facials?

    Also, I do want to know if Wyland kept a straight face when Ortiz said,

    "... I could massage the wife but not the husband," "Now I can do both."




    2zero wrote on March 04, 2009 07:22 AM: The meeting concluded with Chris giving Tom a hand job.


    delray wrote on March 04, 2009 06:30 AM: Is it still legal for a massage girl to work on my crank?


    rJC wrote on March 04, 2009 05:34 AM: That's odd. I've been getting massaged by female massage therapists off and on for years and didn't know it was a no-no!