I feel a lot of responsibility. Through the course of Covid, the mainstream world changed its understanding of the importance of human contact. This may mean a surge of interest in the services of professional cuddlers and a stream of newcomers at cuddle events.

With vaccines and virus variants occurring in tandem, what can I do to introduce cuddling to a touch-starved world safely? I’ve been thinking about this for months. One choice I made was to update Cuddle Sanctuary’s Code of Ethics to include this language:

I obey the recommendations of the health authorities in my region.

I stay aware of public health issues and adjust my offerings as circumstances change.

Another consideration on my mind are vaccines, of course. Shall I require them at events? To some of you who responded to my survey on the subject, vaccination-only events would be essential for safety. Others think that a recent Covid test would be okay for admittance.

Getting the vaccine was a really straightforward decision for me, because my parents – not the government – were the health authorities of my youth.

Daddy Doctor Mommy Nurse

My Dad was a pediatrician. My mom is a retired registered nurse. When I had a sore throat – which was common for me in elementary school – I would go to the drawer in my parents room to grab a flashlight and deliver it to my Dad. Dad would use it to look at my tonsils. “Stick out your tongue and say aah,” was as familiar to hear in the family room as the nightly news.

Once when I got home from school, my mom went to the fridge, pulled out a syringe from the side door to give me a vaccine “booster shot.” (I was not happy to learn that shots were something that could happen unexpectedly at home!) The science of medicine was a part of my growing up and getting vaccinated was routine.

Different Stories Than Mine

When 50 year olds could get the vaccine, I jumped online as if Duran Duran were coming into town and I was trying to score concert tickets. I have a trust in the medicine and an excitement for the freedom I imagine will be mine soon.

It can be hard to place myself in different shoes – the shoes of those who have a different life history and a different, valid perspective.

Introducing Levia Love

Levia Love is a recent graduate of Cuddle Sanctuary’s Certification Program for Professional Cuddlers and the owner of Bling Brow Bar in Eureka, California.

As you can tell, she’s a warm, vibrant human! In a recent conversation, Levia described a perspective I’ve never had to consider.

JEAN: What obstacles do you see in the Black community  when it comes to getting vaccinated?

LEVIA: I feel there is hesitation when it comes to trusting the government let alone a vaccine that is relatively brand new. We have experienced a lot of terrible treatment from the medical providers and systems in the past and we still see it now.

I also recognize that there aren’t a lot of examples of Black people getting the vaccine and speaking about it. For me it was simple, I knew I wanted to protect the people I love in my home, in my business and in my community which is why I chose to document my vaccination online and made sure my local community knew I was available for questions and willing to listen to concerns.

Overall, I feel the biggest obstacles will always be distrust of systems who have proven time and time again to be harmful to our community.

Vaccine hesitancy is not just for people of color

Dr. Sharita Golden agrees with Levia in her Johns Hopkins article on the subject, acknowledging that “People of color, along with immigrants and differently-abled men and women have endured centuries of having their trust violated…” This CBS news segment further describes why some Black Americans are skeptical.

I had a Zoom chat with family members last week. When the subject moved to differing opinions about the vaccination, it got heated fast. My peeps doggedly hold to the value that getting vaccinated is a personal responsibility and a public good.

As a vaccine enthusiast myself, I imagined that most white people who avoid it believe in conspiracy theories. But in the past few weeks I’ve been stopped in my tracks by talking with colleagues – white ones with whom I have so much else in common – who are choosing not to vaccinate. This has been mind expanding.

A return to love

Let’s return once more to love. Levia Love!

LEVIA: I have been happy to have conversations to hear what my local community is feeling and let them in on the process of getting vaccinated. I have helped some people make the decision to get it and I have made sure those who chose not to are still loved and included safely. It’s a good option but at the end of the day I understand both sides.

JEAN: Thank you, Levia, for pointing your generosity towards your community and this conversation!

You can learn more about Levia and her virtual platonic “cuddling” sessions here.