I don’t disagree that marketing exists. Everything in this space is, on some level, presentation. A review is marketing. A tweet is marketing. Even silence is marketing (think of how many providers did NOT respond to the post about Greek). We all curate something. But reducing every provider’s perspective to “telling men what they want to hear” misses the actual point of threads like this.
Clients frequently say they wish there was more provider engagement, more transparency, more conversation to provide the perspective. When providers offer that, calling it “marketing” becomes a very convenient way to dismiss what we're saying while still consuming the benefits of the conversation.
And yes, some women are strategic with their words. Good communication usually is. But many of us are sharing as honestly as we can in the hopes of not jeopardizing safety tools or others because clarity makes the entire system safer and more enjoyable for everyone.
Understanding the physical, emotional, and logistical reality behind the scenes, including a providers likes and dislikes, isn’t manipulation; it’s basic respect for the experience. If a provider wanted to “tell men what they want to hear,” they could do that without ever touching this board. Plenty do it on social media every single day with very little public pushback.
Engaging on this board, where every word can and will be scrutinized, in my opinion, is the opposite of that. Sometimes the truth and “good marketing” sound similar because the truth is actually… useful.
