What's in a Name?

Why do massage therapists object to being called masseuses?

What's in a name?

Why “Masseuse” Isn’t the Right Word Anymore

‘Masseuse’ is, technically, the correct French word for a woman who gives massages (the male form being masseur). But in English, the term has taken on a rather different history.

In the 1960s and 70s, “masseuse” became a euphemism for someone working in “parlours” or under a “madam” — stigmatised and negatively judged. As a result, by the 1980s, its use began to fade. Around the same time, growing cultural diversity introduced new approaches to healthcare, and scientific research deepened our understanding of how stress affects well-being. Massage began to be recognised not as something shady or indulgent, but as a legitimate and effective form of healthcare.

So, if “masseuse” is simply an old-fashioned word, why does it still feel uncomfortable to be called one — and make so many professional therapists wince?

Because massage therapy is a field that continues to fight for respectability and academic recognition, often within a poorly regulated industry. Unfortunately, anyone can still advertise themselves as a massage therapist, even with little or no anatomical training or insurance. That can lead to poor practice at best, and injury at worst.

By contrast, becoming a qualified and professionally registered massage therapist in the UK involves at least a year of college-level study, a separate diploma in anatomy, physiology and pathology, and a minimum of one hundred hours of supervised clinical work. Most therapists also train in several modalities (each requiring similar input) and complete ongoing professional development every year to maintain registration with their professional associations. And then, some therapists chose to specialise eg in MLD, and that takes yet further years.

Despite this professionalism, many therapists — particularly women — are still approached by those looking for the “old-fashioned” kind of service the term “masseuse” once implied. These encounters are never pleasant, and they have no place in a modern healthcare environment. They can be upsetting, intrusive, and undermine the sense of safety and trust that is so essential in any therapeutic setting.

Given that level of commitment and the challenges therapists already face, using a term historically tied to something we do not provide diminishes the skill, knowledge, and care that go into legitimate massage therapy.

So unless you’re speaking French, or deliberately suggesting that massage therapy is a cover for something else entirely, please avoid using “masseuse.” Massage therapist may have a few extra syllables, but it carries the professional respect the work — and the people who do it — deserve.