Over the past few years, it has become more and more common for women in the service industries, such as, restaurant hostess, grocery store clerks and waitress to tell their customers, “Don’t call me Miss”.

In China, during the 1950s and 1970s, those workers were mostly called “comrade—同志tóng zhì”, which implied everyone had the same dream to save the world and everyone was of equal status. In the 1980s, before the Reform of China, Beijing service people were mostly called, “Master—师傅shī fu”.

During the years of the Cultural revolution, it was taught that the workers were the real power behind everything , hence, “师傅” was a recognition of the person’s status. After the Cultural Revolution, Guangdong Province adopted the title “Miss—小姐” for female waitress, clerks, and other women in the service industry, although, it only applied to the young and pretty female attendants. As a result, it was usually taken as a compliment. With the appearance of “sensual” services in many barber shops, hotels and restaurants, “小姐” became the professional name for that type of women; much to the disgust of respectable women.