So, to paraphrase this excellent post by @Garfield, if you hate diffuser sticks, we sitters should highlight it in our profiles and discuss during the video chat, not expect pet parents to anticipate and accommodate individual needs and preferences prior to confirming a sit. Which seems fair enough to me. 
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I haven’t been following this thread much, but I did reply on another thread about getting a migraine when I encounter a strong fragrance. If you are not a physician who specializes in this, can you please share your qualifications?
If you see a stranger who is having a medical emergency, but you cannot see anything wrong, does that mean you would think it’s psychosomatic? Would you instead pass judgement and walk by? What is your view on Type 1 diabetes? Before it was discovered to be an autoimmune disease, how do you think it was viewed and treated?
I’ve had tests done and was told it’s genetic. I have no need to defend anything I inherited that is out of my control. I’m not an anxious person, never have been. I read these kind of responses, not based on fact, and think about men who comment about how easy it is to carry and baby and give birth. It’s not. They don’t know, can never know, so should keep their views to themselves.
For me, It doesn’t impact my life much. I avoid fragrance to the extent I can, avoid chemical smells like oil paint or cleaners, etc. I’ve encountered some strong fragrances in some homes, but I can usually counter this by cleaning up a bit, opening windows for awhile, etc. I don’t state anything in my profile and I’ve never mentioned anything to any owner. I know what my needs are and I take care of them. I have no special requests other than it be a clean home and pets health and behaviors disclosed before I accept.
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I am not a physician but I can read the literature, and I agree with @Garfield that when scents trigger reactions, that is typically by psychological mechanisms.
There is a classic article about a subject whose asthma was triggered by goldfish. Also when that “goldfish” was really a plastic toy.
That’s funny. Can you please cite the articles and your sources?
I don’t see have one can assume that someone judge a medical emergency as «psychosomatic» just by stating that something like headaches can have different causes both physical and psychosomatic.
A psychosomatic response kan be painful and severe and can be as serious as a physical one. Unfortunately psychosomatic responses are sometimes regarded as «of less value» and that it is «better» to have a physical cause. A health problem nevertheless.
I don’t diagnose others online or at an emergency in the street. I say that in petsitting circumstances I cannot say that others should change their home for me to sit, and I cannot say that because I get a headache it is a healthhazard in general (or to me, even) and It is not necessarily so that a product is unsafe, others are uninformed, discriminate etc. It seems my post was not clear enough on this, so thank you for asking.
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If you feel you have sources which prove your theories, then you should cite them. Otherwise, you are simply saying things which have no basis in fact.
I also do not think that a host should have to change anything for a sitter. As long as they provide a clean home, disclose any health or behavior issues, great. I have no need to make up things to justify why I feel that way.
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It is old (from the 1950’s) so a bit difficult to find but it must this one by Dekker and Groen from the 1950’s, reproduced in several collections:
Didn’t they develop insulin in the 1950’s? Was DNA a thing then? Autism? Thinking maybe science has progressed a bit more since the 1950’s.
I can’t really see that I have written any «theories». If you refer to saying that allergy-symptoms etc being sometimes cause psychosomatic, and that the fear of having allergy symptoms in itself can lead to symptoms (?) that is something that is thouroughly researched, just an example here:
I don’t intend to use my Sunday writing a thesis, 
if one is interested in the subject there are a lot of resources of scientific weight also online. But it could be good to know if one is affected that symptoms can have different causes which can help exploring life to figure out (and sometimes getting used to something by gradual exposure can help the trigger point to be higher).
As of your last paragraph we agree for the practical effects on petsitting.
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I read this. As your article states, this is not well studied. I can use a search engine to find articles which will talk about other causes. I don’t think that requires a thesis on my part, but it does require time, which to me, is no longer worthwhile.
What we can agree on is that it’s not up to the host to make accommodations for anyone who is impacted by this. As long as their house is clean and pets as described, I can handle the rest. I have no desire to diminish anyone who may be impacted by things I am not.
An interesting topic, which has somehow gone from diffuser sticks to childbirth!
Everyone is entitled to their own preferences and opinions, I think, and freedom of speech is now recognised as a human right (I can provide the source for that statement, if required 
).
Clearly people hold strong views about this. Interesting topic, which has provided food for thought.
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@Garfield my younger son was part of a study exactly like the one you describe, perhaps the same one. It was really interesting to be involved in and there was a follow on that continued until he was 11 (should have been 8 or 9 but Covid got in the way).
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My eldest was born with a disability. He was considered one of the early ones, so one of the leading hospitals in the world asked us to participate in a study. It was a lot of work, a lot of time, but we thought it would be helpful for those who came next. They followed up over the years. Twenty years later, everything they thought years earlier, they had disproven. Science evolves. They start with theories, but it takes time for science to prove their theories, or disprove them.
The topic did not change, but what is being said to justify our replies defers by who the writer is.
Actually, “debate” includes each of the other three elements you list. It is not a 3rd/4th type of discussion.
However, focussing on semantics misses the point of the discussion, which is sensory sensitivities. I genuinely would like to read your opinion on my earlier paragraph, copied below. Perhaps you will say that it is not your job to educate me (and it isn’t your job), but since you have strong feelings on the topic, maybe you would be willing to help others become less ableist.
“Perhaps I should mention in my listing that I use scented products (cleaners, shampoo, deodorant, etc) like I mention that my house has stairs. I’m not being flippant, I really wonder if that would be better. As an able-bodied, neurotypical person, it is difficult anticipating what else might bother people - certain types of lighting? some noises? fabrics? Again, I am not being facetious. I know all of these can really trigger neurodiverse and other sensitive people.”
Wow so we can only have views and only comment on things we have personally experienced ?
Amazing i though we were entitled to freedom of thought and free speech (within the law) regardless of how ignorant our views may be.
I had never thought to ask about this in a zoom call! I too am highly sensitive to smells, which trigger sneezing and wheezing – and if in a car with someone with perfume, I get an instant sharp, piercing headache.
Thanks for bringing up this issue!
I will mention my sensitivity in the future, just as I am clear that I can not be in a smoker’s home.
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How silly. View and comment however you like. I’ll do the same.
If someone makes a statement that a medical condition is only in someone’s head, when they have doctors who know otherwise, then I will let them know they are mistaken. Anytime someone tells you that what medical condition you have is all in your head, you get to decide if you want to accept that or not. I choose to speak up for myself.
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After reading and re-reading this thread, I feel it all comes down to good communications (yes, that old chestnut). We’ve done a few sits now where the pet parents have informed us during handover that they use unscented products by choice, and one where we were told it was because of sensitivity. Out of respect, we just went along with whatever their preferences were, without thinking too much about it at the time. I suspect that would be the response by anyone who has respect and empathy for their sit partners? Just talk to one another as reasonable human beings.
It’s possibly a bit different when it’s the pet parents who can’t or won’t tolerate fragrances, since their homes just won’t contain any and visiting sitters can simply fit in with that without problems, regardless of their own preferences.
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Good point. You can buy a portable air filter for less than AU$100.
If it is important to you, go to the sit prepared rather than asking the homeowner to make accommodations. If a street light or noise is going to bother you bring an eye mask and ear plugs and so on.
I had a sitter complain because I did not have a hair dryer. The last time I used a hair dryer I probably teased my hair and wore a miniskirt.
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