From: myra@saul.cis.upenn.edu (Myra VanInwegen)
Newsgroups: alt.backrubs
Subject: Re: backrubs
Date: 2 Oct 92 18:36:11 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

In article <1992Oct1.111141.1@vax.sonoma.edu> lane@vax.sonoma.edu writes:
>I strongly agree with you on this particular subject of backrubs.  I 
>feel that if your going to give a person a backrub or massage, that 
>person should either:
>
>     A. YOUR BOYFRIEND OR GIRLFRIEND.
>     B. SOMEONE THAT YOUR ARE TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH AND WOULD'NT MIND 
>        IF ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER.
>     C. IF IT WAS A MEMBER OF YOUR FAMILY AND YOU KNOW THAT NOTHING 
>        WILL HAPPEND.

Acccckkkk! What a perverted country we have when the most healing
(mentally and physically) of all touches, namely backrubbing, may only
be given only to (a) someone with whom you have or want to have a
romantic relationship, or (b) someone with whom there is no
possibility of having a romantic relationship. 

What is a person who has a killer knot in her back to do when getting
a backrub from a family member or an SO it not possible (like they are
not around or are lousy at giving backrubs)? According to you, she
either must suffer or shell out $$$ to get a professional massage.

>I can
>reacall a time when I was giving someone a back massage when she 
>started blurting out all type of romantic gestures as if I was really 
>turning her on, but to me she was only a friend.  

There is a guaranteed cure for this problem: communication! There are
a bunch of people on this net who will give backrubs to absolutely
anyone, and lots more (I take it from reading this newsgroup) who will
give backrubs to anyone of the opposite sex. And this never, or
virtually never causes problems with them. Why? They let it be known
among their friends that they like to give non-sexual backrubs. Now
some people will think that they are weird, that this is some strange
sexual perversion, but most people will accept it after awhile and
will ask for backrubs when they need them or want them. There will
still be some people with the attitude that they will not allow
themselves to be touched by someone who is not an SO (Significant
Other) or spouse. Too bad for them. They will just have to do without
your backrubs.

Try giving backrubs in public, at parties, after class, things like
that. Most people love to get backrubs and if you offer to give a
backrub among a bunch of people, you will get some people who look at
you stangely, but eventually someone will take you up on it. 

I tell you, BACKRUBS DO NOT INTRINSICALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH SEX
OR ROMANCE! They can, but so can anything, like having lunches
together, or going jogging together, or watching movies. It's only in
this incredibly sexually-strange society (where the most disgusting
graphic violence is shown and people don't even blink over it, and a
simple, honestly-presented nude body makes people get so excited or
ashamed) that people associate any touch with sex. It is only here, in
the good old USA, and someone would have posted such a message.

Look, folks, you can help change this repressed attitude! You can help
spread love and relaxed muscles though your backrubs! You can help
bring about world peace through massage!

OK, so I'm exaggerating. But you get the idea. It doesn't have to be
the way you suggest, and YOU can help change peoples attituted towards
touch and backrubs.

-Myra
myra@saul.cis.upenn.edu
Newsgroups: alt.backrubs