Re: Gay male nurse stereotype? Originally Posted by RN34TX 
I read these comments here from time to time and I still don't get it.
Just where are these straight guys working or going to school where they are supposedly so outnumbered and surrounded by gay men in their class or work setting?
Greenwich Village in NYC? Key West? West Hollywood?
I'm gay and have been a nurse for nearly 12 years in different parts of the country and almost every place I've ever worked I have been either the only gay man or maybe one other gay man on my unit.
Right now, there are 19 nurses on my unit. 7 are men and I'm the only gay one. I'm far outnumbered and that has been the norm for me throughout my career.
So I'm inclined to believe that those of you who complain about so many gay male nurses must be working or going to school in more densely gay populated areas of the country.
Either that or it's a strange coincidence that I just happened to have ended up always working at the very few hospitals where gay men were always outnumbered by straight men for 12 years in multiple cities and states.
*snort* You got that right!
Just take my last job and my current one for example:
Last job: I worked in the heart of the midwest. There were only three male nurses on our floor - myself, my good friend (ex-special forces medic) and the other dude (ex-Marines). Neither one of us is gay.
Current job: North east. 3 male nurses (and about 6 male techs. We do have 3 more male nurses joining by around year's end - so that makes a total of 6 male nurses and 6 male techs). Not one of us is gay.
The difference in the amount of males could be attributed to the fact that my old job was on a regular floor and my current one is in the ER/ED.
But it doesn't distract from RN34TX's post - because I happen to agree with him. If there are more "gay male nurses" than "hetero male nurses", I certainly haven't come across such disparity from personal experience.
Which also leads me to believe that
like many stereotypes - this "phenomenon" is merely that... a s-t-e-r-e-o-t-y-p-e. It's akin to saying "most whites are racist"or "most blacks are thugs" or "most minorities live on welfare" or whathaveyou....
Stereotypes are dumb.
To put it mildly.
I wonder if folks would be "this curious" if the genders were switched and it was hetero males talking about lesbian nurses?
cheers,
Roy (who is often left wondering as to how or why should the sexual orientation of other nurses - be they male or female - be a matter of consequence at all??)
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