Anybody else catch this?... Glee Male nurse

[wsuRN09]

So I don't like to admit it, but I watched Glee.... however, I was slightly offended by the stab the season premier made at male nurses... and I quote "female football coach, like male nurses, are a sin against nature." It's also not cool that females coaching football is a sin according to the writers of Glee. I am officially irritated for the day and I could not bring myself to watch the rest of the episode... and probably the rest of the season as well.

[dthfytr, ADN, LPN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-I]

Don't even know what the show is. Can you tell me more about it?

Naturally I find the stereotype to be a profound insult, but on the other hand, can't wait to tell my charge nurse I can't do what she asks because I'm a sin against nature! I've been called a lot of things in my life, but this is a new one. Are there any benefits with the job?

[Miller86]

I seen the episode too with my sister-in-law for the first time and felt the same way you did, except I watched the rest of the show.

I felt that the whole episode was filled with a bully theme and I felt so sick at the way they treated the coach.

[AmericanRN]

Glee is not meant to be taken seriously. The show goes out of its way to offend everyone. When it first came on it came under heavy attack from conservatives because the students lie, cheat, and steal. The entire Glee club consists of students that are considered misfits in the school. The cheerleading coach who is also female is conniving, mean and bullies everyone. In short as goofy as the show is, the exaggerations make a good point that our society really does make those stereotypes. In short Glee is a show that parodies itself intentionally.

[SonorityGenius]

Glee is not meant to be taken seriously. The show goes out of its way to offend everyone. When it first came on it came under heavy attack from conservatives because the students lie, cheat, and steal. The entire Glee club consists of students that are considered misfits in the school. The cheerleading coach who is also female is conniving, mean and bullies everyone. In short as goofy as the show is, the exaggerations make a good point that our society really does make those stereotypes. In short Glee is a show that parodies itself intentionally.

While I agree Glee is more on the "comic" relief side, I disagree that it was a parody. The comment about male nurses was not spoken in a sarcastic tone; nor was it followed by a funnier scene.

[MassED, BSN, RN]

can't understand what the hype is about Glee.... so I haven't watched it, but sounds like pretty stupid t.v.

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

Sounds rather silly... Unfortunately it doesn't sound as silly as Monty Python.

[grandmawrinkle]

Yeah, the character "Sue Sylvester" (played by Jane Lynch) said that. I didn't really find it funny, as I work with and love my nurse colleagues of both genders, but I took it with a grain of salt. Any Gleeks or even casual watchers of last season know that Sue Sylvester is one of the most conniving, non-politically correct characters on a prime-time comedy right now....pretty much everything that flies out of her mouth is offensive to someone, and it's intentional, because....

a lot of the episodes last season focused on stereotypes indirectly or even directly (heck, all the characters on the show are a stereotype in some way or another.) The show has also given a fair amount of air time to the concept of being comfortable in your own skin regardless of who you are. Sue Sylvester is really good at pointing out the differences (and faults) in people. The show writers, I think, take it a step further and try to make the differences (that she often points out) between us unifying.

Maybe not the best choice for a comparison, and I am sure you aren't the only one in the nursing community it makes mad, but I think overall the show is AWESOME, smart, funny, and highly entertaining. If you haven't watched other episodes I would encourage you to do so and get a feel for what it is really like.

[pedimac]

I'm a male nurse, I watch the show with my wife, and I thought that line was hilarious. Lighten up. It's a lighthearted show. Nothing Sue's character does (except for choosing her cheer assistant) is supposed to be taken seriously. I also put get in my hair, and do not find it insulting when she insults Will's hair.

[peggy2624]

Good catch!! What you should do is write to the tv network, the producers AND most importantly the sponsors and let them know how offensive this is and that you 've posted this on this nursing site.

[BluegrassRN]

While I agree Glee is more on the "comic" relief side, I disagree that it was a parody. The comment about male nurses was not spoken in a sarcastic tone; nor was it followed by a funnier scene.

Parody does not mean that lines must be sarcastically delivered, or that a certain number of scenes must be "funny".

According to Wikipedia (and it *IS* a great resource, I don't care what the old fogies say):

"A parody (pronounced /ˈpærədiː/; also called send-up, spoof or lampoon), in contemporary usage, is a work created to mock, comment on, or make fun at an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation. "

If you are even remotely easily offended, then shows like this should be avoided.

[Y-Chromo_nurse2b]

Sue Sylvester is supposed to be a politically incorrect character; i.e. Archie Bunker