Current practitioners prefer the 해운대 고구려 terms massage therapist vs. massage therapist and vs. massage therapist, as gender-specific designations carry sexual overtones. Masseuse was the standard term for a female massage therapist (and masseur for male massage therapists), much like women flight attendants were once called flight attendants. In the 1980s, the term fell out of use within the massage industry, since it became associated with sexual activity.
One of our Zeel licensed massage therapists in Charleston, SC, Lizzie Ford, shared, I feel like, along with most massage therapists, masseuse is outdated; it brings up negative connotations with the general public, and implies promiscuous living. That is, a lot of women would rather have a massage therapist who is female; the same way that some would rather have a hairstylist or a physician who is of that same gender. Many women prefer women massage therapists merely because they feel closer to the other women, the feeling that they are gentler spirits. There are many amazing male massage therapists, so it really comes down to personal preference and how comfortable you are with a specific therapist.
Male massage therapists that do manage to break into the profession are usually extremely talented, since they have also had to fight prejudices in order to gain as much of a clientele as a female therapist. These men are not making the job of growing their clientele easier–because women clients are often afraid of men simply looking for a way to have sexual intercourse with them. One group who does not seem to have an issue with male therapists — or, in many cases, actually prefers them — are athletes. Many have said spas are among the hardest places for men to make it, in large part because clients expect — and demand — female therapists.
Male therapists must also convince women they can do the work just as well as women. By focusing on a medical massage model, setting and adhering to the strictest professional boundaries, and teaching those around them of their strengths as bodyworkers, committed male massage therapists can put an end to this gender bias. While the scales of sex preferences in massage therapy are obviously biased towards women, men can still have successful, fulfilling careers in this field. While this statistic might give the illusion that massage therapists who are men are highly sought after, there are plenty of people who would rather get their care from women therapists.
Even if the massage therapist is a trained professional performing the service, it is impossible to escape from the more intimate nature of some massages, putting male masseurs at a slight disadvantage when it comes to treating female clients. Many women are uncomfortable being in an intimate environment, like a full-body massage, with a man, because they are afraid that their bodies will be evaluated. Some clients enjoy talking about private things while getting a massage, and may choose to have a womans ear. Some female clients choose to have their massage done by a male masseur rather than female massager due to their thoughts and feelings on having massage done by males as opposed to females.
When booking a session in the emerging health care industry, prospective clients are typically asked whether they prefer a male or female massage therapist. Client preferences regarding their therapists differ for a number of different reasons, such as being able to deliver deeper pressure, various techniques, doing orthopedic work versus relaxing, and so forth. However, it seems that a vast majority of Sacramento massage clients would rather have a female therapist. While frequent massage clients acknowledge the importance of the practitioners skills over a practitioners gender, those who are new to receiving bodywork tend to prefer female therapists for a variety of reasons.
It is important for clients to know that the men in our practice are just as well-trained and as competent in their own right as any of the women in LoDo Massage Studio Highlands. That is, Blys Blys female massage therapists are all well trained and highly experienced in using their bodys own strength levels while still providing outstanding massage to your desired intensity.
Successful therapists, such as those in our studio, usually come from specialized backgrounds like medical massage and sports massage, which are two modality which are very effective in relieving pain. Some might have been specifically trained in performing one specific type of massage, while others might have certifications allowing them to incorporate additions like acupuncture or aromatherapy. For instance, a therapist might be certified in Swedish massage, then attend continuing education courses to learn Shiatsu or hot stone massage several years later.
Massage therapists are trained by massage colleges around the country, completing at least 1 year of education and academic training, as well as more than 500 hours of hands-on experience, before they receive a license (the exact amount of hours differs from state to state), for about $6,000 to $10,000. Massage is one of the few occupational fields in which male practitioners have a harder time finding paid jobs than their female counterparts.
These kinds of missteps hamper some mens attempts at making massage careers – so much so that women now account for 85% of massage practitioners employed today. The news frequently contains stories about men who pretend to be legitimate massage therapists engaging, or trying to engage, in illegal or predatory conduct directed toward unsuspecting clients.
Most female clients interviewed by the Massage Bodywork Magazine writers mentioned sex as a real problem why they chose female rather than male therapists. These women were concerned about the idea of a male therapist looking at their bodies, or thinking about sex when working on them.
Some may have assumed a woman would be more likely to be able to provide nurturing touch than a man, others were concerned about body shame, a few men were uncomfortable at the thought of being touched by another man, and some women were concerned a male therapist could be more threatening in an otherwise vulnerable setting. Some place a greater value on specific things to do with therapists that would make them comfortable or uncomfortable, and maybe gender is the biggest. Not every woman is meant to be a therapist, and some men really do a great job of providing healing, therapeutic massage.