A South Florida woman named Alecia says an Aventura Massage Envy refused to serve her after she told an employee she is HIV positive. According to Local 10, she has now filed a lawsuit against the company that owns the franchise.
Alecia told Local 10 she arrived for an appointment with a friend and was taken to a treatment room, where a staff member asked whether she had any medical conditions. She said she answered that she is HIV positive. She said she was then told to undress to her underwear and get on the table before the staff member left. According to Alecia, the employee came back about ten minutes later and said the spa could not provide service without a doctor’s consent.
Alecia told the station she felt discriminated against, and said she did not believe a doctor’s note should be required for a massage. She described sitting in her car afterward feeling numb, and said the experience left her feeling pain, isolation and fear. She also told Local 10 that she has spent years working to reduce the stigma around HIV.
Her attorney, Courtney Cunningham, told Local 10 the situation was shocking and outrageous. Local 10 also noted that Florida passed protections for people living with HIV back in 1988.
The other side has responded. According to court papers filed in response to the suit, J&G Holdings, the owner of the Massage Envy Aventura location, denies the allegations. The case is a claim at this stage and nothing has been decided.
We will keep an eye on this one as it moves through the courts.
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