Many women who do massages professionally don't like the term massage therapist, but it is literally defined as a female massager. The term has a sexy and swinging background, perhaps evoking images of flirtatious athletic women. While you might be lucky enough to hire a massage therapist like this on your next visit to the spa, don't call her a massage therapist. If he's a handsome man, don't call him a masseuse either.
The term masseuse is a French word that refers to a woman who practices massage. The men in the industry were known as massage therapists. A massage therapist and a massage therapist do the same job; the only difference is that the term massage therapist is gender specific and refers to women. Massage therapists, on the other hand, can be of any gender.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics uses the same standard occupational code (31-901) for both designations, and for male specific masseuses, rolfers, and massage therapists.
