Ok this stereotype will die hard one day, but lets start with some history. Nursing first came into being in the USA by men ( mainly 16-22 year olds) and women really didn’t get into it until WW1 when all the men left to fight the war. Somewhere along the way some idiot apparently started assisting male nurses with gays. Now i don’t know where that idiotic idea originated from maybe someone can fill me in. A friend of mine who is a guy nurse working in the ER told me to were a fake wedding ring to work if I get tired of people asking if im gay all the time. ( he had to turn over 10 people in for harassment for spreading rumors about him being gay when he was not) I knew going into this that i would have to put up with crap from people thinking this way, but i dont care i love helping people, and this job fits very well for me. I just dont know how to deal with this constant question. any ideas.
2006-07-21 14:14:35 · 18 answers · asked by WHO_WHAT 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
Are you gay?.....just kidding. I think people are closed minded and associate only one gender to certain jobs. They think if a man is a hairstylist he is gay, or a nurse he is gay. I and my sisters all worked in occupations that were not traditionally held by women. Electrician, mechanic, law enforcement, public service lineman. So I know what you are going through. Don't worry about what others say or assume. As long as you are happy at what you do then hold your head up high and know that you are doing a job that is noble and helps others...one that not too many other people could tolerate...(man or woman) It is the media and society that have put it into our heads that only women are nurses or only men are firefighters....etc...I noticed over the years that Galls Catalog (which sells Fire, EMS, and Law enforcement products has never had a female police officer on its cover. The female was always an ambulance worker...never dressed in fire gear or a police uniform... Inside if there was a photo of a woman with a law enforcement uniform on then she was positioned behind a man in the photo. I never let this bother me because I knew despite the stereotype that many women out there were doing excellent work in non traditional roles. It would be great if the world would be a little more open minded and see that occupations do not have a gender specification. You on the other hand can not change the general thoughts of the population. So again be proud of who you are and don't let other's assumptions bother you. Get a pin made that says, "No I'm not gay so don''t ask" and wear it on your nursing uniform.
2006-07-21 14:26:44 · answer #1 · answered by bearklektor 5 · 7⤊ 0⤋
You are right. But since the '50, women also were starting to enter the work force in many areas too in this country. It was thought that nursing were for women only. And why women were packed into hospitals were becuase their natural ability of nurtured like care or tender care for patients that's why it seems that nursing jobs are only for women. however, if you carefully look at these nursees background, they do required to be certified and well trained before the can enter the workforce. It's not easy to just become nurses either. however I had began to see more men becoming nurses due to jobs being scarce since the '80. and it seems to me, a man being a nurse does not seem strange. Men in the military were nurses weren't they? that's how some of them was able to get nursing job as acivilian in the lcoal hospitals, because they had the training and experiences through the military. I think you're right thinking people are stupid. You know what I used to do for a living? I used to work for a company that produce computers, and I had to be a certified Electronics Technician. Guess what, there were some women who were Electronics Technicians in my work place, working side by side with me. So, should I call them Dikes, or Lesbians?
2006-07-22 04:29:27 · answer #2 · answered by FILO 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you're going into nursing, you'll have to develop a thicker skin! Stupid, ignorant people-- they are everywhere!
When someone says "are you gay"? ask them "why are you so interested?" If you have the time and inclination, educate them, as you have done so well in your question above.
The stereotype persists as it has been considered "women's work". Therefore, idiots like to try and put down men by comparing them to women (as if that were an insult!)
As more men realize the earning potential for nurses nowadays, more men will enter the field, and this sterotype will die a well deserved death. Stay strong!
2006-07-21 21:27:56 · answer #3 · answered by boo radley 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Stand firm and fight for the right to not be sterotyped. The wedding ring idea is a good one but plainly telling people that you are not gay is good choice as well. If they don't listen or keep up the sterotyping or gossip, then do what you need to and file a complaint.
I know two men personally who are in nursing; one is and RN and the other is an OR Nurse. I commend both for their jobs well done.
Good luck and sorry you are having to deal with this issue.
God Bless
2006-07-21 21:20:20 · answer #4 · answered by okiemom67 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
listen
i am a doc working 22 years
i have never had a boy nurse
but i know a person who is 40 years old he is married with 3 children ,a very nice person ,and at age 30 he became a nurs
so ,just because there are not very much boys in nursing doesn't mater
also there are not much women truck drivers
who cares
are you happy with your job??
that is all about it
and don't worry about your weight to
my husband and I were 56 and 58 kg when get married
now both of us are almost 100 kg each
just take the life easy and don't start steroids or any other treatments
everything come in good time
good luck
2006-07-22 11:50:50 · answer #5 · answered by qwq 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Continue to do what you are doing. Be yourself. I believe nurses are comprised of men and women. I have a friend who I look up to that is an intelligent and very skilled nurse(married), and my director (married) is a male nurse. I would like to see more men in the nursing field. Around here, we have more men entering the nursing field...hopefully this will eventually eliminate the stereotype...actually wish stereotypes didn't exist. People should do what they want to do...jobs shouldn't be localized to a specific gender.
2006-07-21 21:23:11 · answer #6 · answered by curious 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i guess that this is the outcome of conservertism and stupidity. People probably think this because they feel that being a nurse is not manly enough. Just like some people think that being in the choir is fa g-gy. It's ridiculous. You just do what you do best and keep saving lives.
Getting a girlfriend might help though. Go out and score some chicks.
2006-07-22 04:14:07 · answer #7 · answered by Kish 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This stereotype comes from the fact that when women were first able to join the military they were automatically trained to be nurses. The medical profession has alot of stereotypes, when most people think of a doctor they think of a man not a woman.
2006-07-21 21:41:12 · answer #8 · answered by jewels76 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why would people say such thing, ok honestly i don't noe or seen nurses that are guys or ever heard of a guy studying nursing, but how can that make a guy gay seriously, u should be proud that you are in nursing and helping others
2006-07-22 18:10:02 · answer #9 · answered by lorie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Same thing with knitting men, acutally.
Some of the best nurses I ever worked with were men. Nurse Jim and Nurse Prescott were two of my favorites.
To hell with people who think you're gay. They're just ignorant. Retaliate with the number of unemployed nurses: damn few!
2006-07-21 21:18:48 · answer #10 · answered by Daijobu K 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋