So I'm a young, single, heterosexual male nurse, and I'm well aware that I'm somewhat of a minority, as most nurses are female, and the ones that aren't, are often gay (yes, I know that is just a silly stereotype, and there's nothing wrong with being gay, but that's beside my point).
Thing is, I'm not even remotely feminine- I have a beard, I listen to heavy metal, I climb mountains, I work out, etcetera. But I get paranoid that most people probably perceive me as a little "girly" or "possibly homosexual", when I talk about being a nurse. I feel especially insecure about my masculinity when I'm walking home wearing my uniform past some heavy set dudes doing roadworks or construction or something "manly". Sometimes, I've even lied about studying nursing at uni- I've sometimes said I'm studying engineering, to seem more masculine.
I'm not ashamed of being a nurse- I'm damn proud! But I feel a little insecure due to the silly non-masculine stereotypes associated with my career choice. I'm also single and looking for a girlfriend, but I sense that women might think I'm gay, or unmanly, due to my profession. Maybe I'm just being paranoid.
Anyway, my main question is- ladies, do you find male nurses attractive? Do you like the idea of a man taking care of you? Or does it seem unmanly and unattractive?
Im assuming it's because he's attracted to women and wants them to be attracted to him, which they won't if they assume he's gay. He's wrong in his assumption that most male nurses are gay, but I don't think his worry is coming from a homophobic place.
Which makes NO sense. That would be like me working in a male-dominated chemical plant, and being consumed by the idea that my mostly male coworkers won't be attracted to me because they'll think I'm gay. It's a juvenile worry in its nature.
Anyone who doesn't view those questions as inappropriate might need to examine their critical thinking skills.
You're acting a tad ridiculous. Did you accidentally grab the Petty O's instead of the Cheerios this morning? Wow. OP asked a question and I have not seen ONE iota of positivity from you. I'd hate to be shadowing you, you'd probably "eat me". Chill. For real.
Since you are using anecdotal evidence to support your claims and insecurities, I'll add my own. I am a gay male nurse working in a major hospital system in NY. By far, the vast majority of male nurses that I've met are straight. That includes the students that i went to nursing school with. What women find attractive, I will assume is the same thing we all find attractive, stable, secure, confident partners. Be yourself, love that you can be nurturing and try to find the confidence that you may be missing. Also, never a good idea to quote stereotypes. What may have been true at one time does not necessarily hills true forever.
I asked this question of my facebook friends once, and I got a lot of mixed opinions. Many women stated they actually found male nurses actively unattractive because the profession doesn't have a "manly" stereotype. Others said they view male nurses as compassionate and that was attractive. A few realized how tough nursing was (usually if they had a close family member who is/was a nurse) and either thought it was cool or it didnt affect their opinion of a man.
Personally, I think if someone finds your profession unattractive for some reason, educate them about the true role of the nurse (a lot of people honestly don't know, a female engineering student once said to me "Don't you just wipe butts all day?"), and move on to someone worth your time.
Personally, I don't like to tell people what I do unless expressly asked. I want their opinion of me to form from my character/behavior. And when I do talk about it with the ladies, I hilight the cool stuff I get to do, like CPR, cardioversion, adenosine pushes, the blood, guts, gore, and glory. If she seems more appreciative of compassion and sensitivity, I might hilight something like...stories of cardiac arrest patients who did well and how happy that made me.
Bottom line: don't overthink it, dude. If she thinks negatively of your profession, she is the one with an issue, not you.
The discussion becomes relevant if people are passed up in relation to intimacy due to their profession. He is not talking about what happens on the floor. He is talking about how being a nurse affects his private life, short and long term. It is very relevant.
In trashy romance novels maybe. I think they're more likely to hit on the maintence guys in general. Given the saturation levels, as a man in nursing I've found there is sometimes interest from females in nursing. I guess because we can understand the ununderstandable.
I'm curious as to where these boatloads of gay male nurses are. Is there a secret gay male nurse code that only male nurses are privy too? Is that why I can't detect them?
Oh yeah, great way to make yourself miserable , having a few floating around work that you can't get rid of. In six months you'll be ready for an overly ambitious self circumcision. (been there, done that)
Female in nursing are probably the most promiscuous of any field. Sleep with a few, get a reputation as a ladies man. Problem solved.
Erythropoiesis
305 Posts
Which makes NO sense. That would be like me working in a male-dominated chemical plant, and being consumed by the idea that my mostly male coworkers won't be attracted to me because they'll think I'm gay. It's a juvenile worry in its nature.