"I didn't want to go into nursing because I didn't want to be labled gay"

Nurses Men

Published

I was talking to a family member today. He is a very nice guy and told me how much he used to want to be a psych nurse many years ago. He told me the reason why he changed his mind is because of the stigma that all male nurses are gay. This guy now knows that he made a very immature decision that he now regrets. I think he would of made an awesome nurse but I guess it's too late to find out now as he is about to retire. I wonder how many other male nurses are afraid to pursue their dream because they don't want it to be assumed that they are gay. :confused:

edit- Labeled.

Specializes in Medical.
One of my charge nurses was an Army Ranger, for crying out loud!
I know this is a little OT but I'm pretty sure there are gay Army Rangers :)
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Specializes in icu/er.

if you are worried about being called gay and thats preventing you from becoming a nurse, then maybe you really dont want to be one. grow a pair of balls! im a nurse and have never been refered to as a homosexual or even asked if i was. only slight kidding from friends "the gaylord focker thing".

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This is just another stereotype we men need to ignore/defeat/snicker about secretly. Ultimately, the bottom line is happiness with the job. If the woman doctor is bothered by the fact that she's mistaken for a nurse, or you are bothered by "Oh, you're not the doctor? You're a... nurse?" It's the same thing.

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Same issue, different thread. Sigh. :banghead:

Seriously, this is 2011 dude. Worrying about being identified as being gay if you are a guy and a nurse is sooooo 1975.

I'm gay. 6'5", #220, played rugby in college. There is nothing about me that screams out gay in the stereotypical sense. I was the only gay guy in my nursing class (there were 6 of us). I work in a large 420 bed facility and as far as I am aware, I know of only two or three other gay men who are nurses. The majority I know are straight.

The kicker is, I am often mistaken for STRAIGHT, lol :D

People assume because I am tall, built and burly and wear a wedding band (my partner and I are legally married as one of us is a European union citizen and we were married in Spain) that I am straight. Patients start asking about my wife, if I have kids, etc... It's really none of their business so I simply state yes, I am married (I'm not lying) and no, I don't have kids ("just didn't work out" if they press me on why not). I figure my personal life is not something I should be sharing with patients whether I'm gay or straight.

All of my colleagues know I am gay, and I have absolutely no problem with it. One guy who had previously thought of himself as homophobic even told me that working with me has totally changed his mind and we actually go out jogging and hang out once in a while outside of work.

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