I hear the term masseuse quite often. Frankly, I did not know the difference or implications of the title, masseuse until going through massage therapy training.
I understand that by using the term masseuse, most people do not understand it's meaning or the correct terminology to use. Nor, do they mean any disrespect. It is time to clear this up. Knowledge is power!
The preferable titles today are Massage Therapist, Massage Practitioner, Massage Technician, Massage Professional, or Body-Worker.
These titles are the professionally correct and gender neutral. Licensed, certified, and registered therapists also use titles such as LMT, CMT, and RMT.
Masseuse and masseur are French terms that became associated with prost*tutes who worked in 'massage parl0rs' in the 1950's. The titles stuck but are now outdated and carry a se=ual connotation. The terms masseuse or masseur describe a sen$ual touch, not the same quality of touch practiced by reputable massage therapists.
This has begun to turn around when states started moving towards new licensing for therapists starting in the 1980s. However, there is still a long way to go. It was up until 2010 that California required massage therapists to be licensed in each city they worked and listed them under 'a@ult entert@inment' with the police department as the governing institution.
Considering the whole picture this is minor and my main focus is to provide my clients with the best care possible and lead by example what it is to be a professional massage therapist.
Want to learn more about this? Read more HERE and HERE
** Upon learning that some words were being searched and directing the wrong type of clientelle to me I have intentionally inserted symbols and changed words to avoid this.
