SFist: From the Editor's Inbox: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Prejudice

Dan Berkes

Tue, 13 May 2008 14:45:52 -0800

Goodness. It must be hell having chemical reactions to things that give off a detectable odor.

lucyvanpelt

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:48:57 -0800

Visiting from Gothamist when I saw a mention on our site. MCS SUCKS! I've had it for about five years, ever since the ticking timebomb of a different, genetic illness finally went off in my body, and it's blown my life to smithereens. I can't come in contact with anything containing formaldehyde (and damn near everything that you use to clean yourself, your home, or your clothes, and most toiletries, contain it). I was a musician and used to play smokey bars. Now, if someone finishes a cigarette on the platform and then sits next to me on a train, I'll start getting ill before I even smell the smoke on his coat and find out he just finished that drag. I was once trapped on a flight from NYC to SF with a woman, several rows back, who was wearing a gallon of crappy perfume. I had to knock myself out with drugs to survive the trip (my eyes swelled shut--fun!), my husband had to practically carry me to the hotel, and then I slept for the first day of my vacation. I used to wear perfume. I used to smoke occasionally. I grew up washing my hair in Prell, washing my clothes in Tide, and living a normal life. I HATE this. Really--you don't know how horrible this is until you've had it, folks. Some people just like to freak out at everything for no reason, even if they're not really allergic to anything and just like to freak out (you know the type). But for those of us for whom this is real, it's a life-destroying problem. Be kind. The perfume you're being asked not to wear to a meeting in closed-quarters may make someone horribly ill for days.

Darkmoon

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:58:43 -0800

Over 10 years ago I was going to a group therapy session on a regular basis at one of the non-profit clinics here in SF. They hired one counselor who claimed to be allergic to any type of scent. Because of her constantly complaining whenever there was any type of group sessions and people of course were wearing colognes and perfumes and using scented soaps that the clinic started to ask everyone to use unscented everything before going to the clinic. As a direct result of this policy and the counselor complaining about even scented shampoos or soap me and several of the other people who really were being helped by the group sessions simply stopped going to that clinic. Basically in the end because of one persons constant complaining about the very people she was supposedly helping alot of people wound up not getting the help that they actually needed. Sometimes people and organizations just plain go to far in the course of being ' Politically Correct' and doing more damage in the end. Oh well.... Thats life.

foscrinoid

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 02:20:25 -0800

Here's the screwy part. And I'm writing this because a dear friend of mine has to deal with intense sensitivities to chemicals. She carries an epi pen just like Potrero Hill -- but it's not peanuts or foods she reacts to. It's things like new paint. And it's legit. I feel for her so much because 1) people don't believe her until she ends up in the ER, and 2) it's almost impossible to avoid things like chemicals in this world. It's bizarre to me that no one will question how a drop of peanut oil can send someone into anaphylactic shock. But mention that ingesting chemicals or inhaling solvents can do the same for some people and then other people ridicule. Frankly, MCS makes sense to me. Different immune systems, different reactions. One doctor told my friend that her illness is 10 to 20 years ahead of medicine. People with MCS don't want to have it, I can assure you that. It's hell.

Potrero Hill

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 09:29:50 -0800

This tidal wave of people claiming allergies and MCS makes me keep quiet about my very real allergy. I only tell a few people in my office so that they know where I keep my epi-pen. Otherwise I feel like a whiner.

Generic

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:56:42 -0800

OMG, have you seen the intro for YSL's M7??? That is some pretty funny shit, yo.

Dan Berkes

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:20:04 -0800

It sounds like a good portion of your scent is herbal tea.

Brock Keeling

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:17:26 -0800

Kiehl's Musk Oil is niiiiice.

miumiu

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:15:59 -0800

This modern version of our classic signature scent is based on the unique blend that is Kiehl's Musk. Our special Musk "recipe" begins with an initial creamy, fresh citrus burst of Bergamot Nectar and Orange Blossom...followed by a soft floral bouquet of Rose, Lily, Ylang-Ylang and Neroli. Finally, Original Musk Eau de Toilette dries down to a warm, sensual Oriental finish of Tonka Nut, White Patchouli and, of course, Musk...the soul of this distinctively modern scent.

Tendernob

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:09:58 -0800

Even "unscented" lotion still has a lotion-y smell to it. A very faint one, but it's there. I’m with Joel: it’s not that I don’t sympathize with people with allergies (and I too hate people who wear too much cologne) - but a lot of these people are just looking for an excuse to be jerks and to dictate other people’s behavior.

bluecanary

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:02:30 -0800

Tendernob: If it was unscented hand lotion, how did your boss know you were using it? I had a co-worker complain that a cedar basket I had ordered and had delivered to the office was "killing her allergies." Luckily I was in a less PC area so I was able to tell her to f**k off.

Joel

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:59:23 -0800

Most of my experiences have been similar to Tendernob's: The worst most recent one was I had an assistant who claimed to have the same medical disorder as the writer of this email. Another assistant several fet away from her had put one of those little conical Glade odor things on top of her desk when she started since the area smelled bad. I could never smell the Glade thing but my assistant went crazy, with all these melodramatic sneezes and loud hacking coughs. She even opened up the window and rigged up fans so they'd be blowing the cold air IN. So, I asked the other assistant to put the Glade thingie behind her desk, and told my assistant she'd gotten rid of it. The scent was still there, but lo and behold--the sneezes and coughs and histrionics ceased. Out of sight, out of mind. Special snowflakes, indeed. That;s not to say that this disorder doesn't exist, nor that a lot of people don't wear way too much scented stuff. But my experiences at school and work have given me the feeling that most of the time, a lot of these folks are trying to throw their weight around.

Dan Berkes

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:49:21 -0800

Mmm, chemical warfare.

Tendernob

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:42:41 -0800

Drakkar Noir? Please! I'll make Brock share some of his M7.

Brock Keeling

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:41:41 -0800

in all fairness, crotch rot makes me sick to my stomach. so, on the flip side, i see from where they're coming.

wchase

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:38:55 -0800

"I don't appreciate the stereotyping and blatant prejudice against people who become ill from being around cologne" oh jesus please, people. f'ing relax, wouldja? seriously.

Leanne

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:34:56 -0800

It always cracks me up being on Bart in the morning when the bulk of the riders gets off in the Financial District, and then the remaining passengers all sneeze in unison thanks to the clouds of perfume/cologne left behind on the train. A little does go a long way...

Dan Berkes

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:27:42 -0800

That's the type of office where you attend the company Christmas party drenched in Drakkar Noir just to piss her off.

Tendernob

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:23:13 -0800

Tell this freak to stay in Santa Cruz with the rest of the scent police. I had the exact opposite experience as bluecanary’s - I once worked in an office with a “scent policy” so fascist, I was not allowed to wear UNSCENTED HAND LOTION. (I was working in a very isolated cubicle in the library, at least 50 feet from the nearest co-worker.) Our office manager was a bitch on wheels about this, lest poor, overly-sensitive people down the hall swoon at the hint of Jergens!! Wa-wa-wa! Seriously, if you have a reaction to benign hand lotion, shouldn’t you be on some sort of medication?

aj

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:16:26 -0800

I have multiple patchouli sensitivity.

RobInSF

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:10:57 -0800

I always bathe myself in "Sex Panther" (by Odeon) once I arrive in Santa Cruz.

Dan Berkes

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:51:38 -0800

I have multiple special snowflake sensitivity.

badlydrawnbear

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:22:09 -0800

well if you have ever been to whole foods (or any health foods store) you will see plenty of "gluten free" products that cater to the large number of people with Wheat intolerance/allergies. http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/wheat-allergy

Brock Keeling

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:21:22 -0800

@ Incandenza, doesn't work with my body's chemistry. really, M7 is fantastic, but it's off the market. i have to go to a little shop in laguna beach to get it. clearly, my life is hard.

Incandenza

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:19:09 -0800

@atthebeach... We be diagnosin', you be hatin'

Incandenza

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:16:51 -0800

Sorry, I meant Mr. Brock.

atthebeach

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:15:24 -0800

"Multiple Chemical Sensitivity is recognized by the ADA" What the f***? A bunch of dentists pretending to be diagnosticians?

Incandenza

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:15:15 -0800

Whilst we're on the topic of Northern California diseases, could someone please explain "wheat intolerance" to me. I just can't wrap my feeble little brain around that one. And Brock- nigga, please: Givenchy's Pi. Grr!

bluecanary

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:11:56 -0800

As one who had to share a cubicle with a man who felt it necessary to drench himself in the most overpowering, disgusting scent every day, I feel this writer's pain. For God's sake, guys, remember Queer Eye: spray, delay, and WALK THE F**K AWAY. When you're wearing so much you can smell it from more than 4 inches away (although you smell this creep from three blocks away), guess what? You're wearing too much.

Brock Keeling

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:03:52 -0800

YSL's M7 is brutish masculinity in a bottle.

mariconsoy

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:02:32 -0800

Yeah Mr Brock. Stop wearing that girlie cologne and set a good example.