Feminism, Nursing, and Gender

Published

Specializes in Research/ED.

Early last week we discussed the mistrust of intelligence and education in nursing. One or two nurses suggested that perhaps the frustration stemmed from some sort of "shame" of being in a caring profession where our emotional intelligence is regularly called into practice.

I thought this was a really interesting reaction to my discussion. If a nurse demands more from her field intellectually, this must be reaction formation: she or he is only exaggerating an opposition to traits he or she perceives to be embarrassing, unacceptable, or weak. This also implies that these traits- being maternal, caring, selfless, tender, loving- are inherently female.

Nursing has a complicated history with sexism and feminist issues. In a time where there is an increased presence (or acknowledgement) of males and transgendered individuals in nursing, how will the assigning of these traits affect their job performance and satisfaction? Does the misogyny that still lingers in nursing affect men and the LGBTQ community differently? How will the interaction between nursing and feminism change in the future?

What have been your experiences with gender norms and sexism in your nursing career?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

This should be good. (getting popcorn)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospice.
This should be good. (getting popcorn)

I hope so, too. Don't let it come as a shock to you all, but I have an opinion on this. The topic is huge, though. I'm still trying to figure out how to start addressing it.

As nurses, we have inherited a gender role tradition straight out of the Victorian era. Putting my experience of that into words that won't start a war is a bit of a challenge, so I gotta take it slow.

Lemme think about it a bit longer ...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

"Maternal, caring, selfless, loving and tender" are traits often ascribed to us from people outside of nursing. If you overhear nurses talking among themselves about their work, those words do not come up. Those words do not appear anywhere on our performance reviews either. Nursing demands stamina, work ethic, responsibility and flexibility.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED, Telemetry,Hospice, ICU, Supervisor.
"Maternal, caring, selfless, loving and tender" are traits often ascribed to us from people outside of nursing. If you overhear nurses talking among themselves about their work, those words do not come up. Those words do not appear anywhere on our performance reviews either. Nursing demands stamina, work ethic, responsibility and flexibility.

I agree!!!!

Im more interested in keeping your BP over 80 systolic. I could care less that you feel uncomfortable and want to eat, Mr. Non-Compliant IVDA with GI BLeed. I am not you mom, Im not here to pick up after you. Im here to save your life!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Men and transgendered people are lumped in together?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in retired LTC.
"Maternal, caring, selfless, loving and tender" are traits often ascribed to us from people outside of nursing. If you overhear nurses talking among themselves about their work, those words do not come up. Those words do not appear anywhere on our performance reviews either. Nursing demands stamina, work ethic, responsibility and flexibility.
How true! How true!

One of the best things I've seen in a long time that really describes us BY US!!!

Kudos!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
"Maternal, caring, selfless, loving and tender" are traits often ascribed to us from people outside of nursing. If you overhear nurses talking among themselves about their work, those words do not come up. Those words do not appear anywhere on our performance reviews either. Nursing demands stamina, work ethic, responsibility and flexibility.

Like like like like like like like like like like like like...'cause I can only click the button once. :up:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Research/ED.

I'm sure most of us would agree that these words are not accurate descriptors of our job. The issue is that laypeople often ascribe these characteristics to nurses, and it's problematic for women in general and for our profession.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Anesthesia, ICU, PCU.

If registered nurse had "tags" like when you post a YouTube video or a thread on this forum, I have a feeling words like "cost," "expense," "reimbursement," "customer service," "budget," "money," "staffing," et cetera would populate truthful responses more so than the descriptors you used. "Intelligence," "respect," and "integrity" would also be somewhere down there too.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Research/ED.

Sorry, what I meant to say is that our culture assigns these values to women, and therefore indirectly to nurses. I'd love to hear your experiences- whether you're cisgender female or male or part of the LGBTQ community- with gender norms and nursing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

A male who is transgendered have and continue to aspire to have what one could consider female traits. Often, this is reasoning behind a person feeling as if they are not the correct gender. A transgendered person certainly doesn't stick on a dress and wha-la. (There are however people who do but they are cross-dressers and not always having a thought that their gender is female). Also, please do not assume that male nurses are wanting to or are gay. Sexual orientation and gender identifcation are two very different things.

A nurse, on the other hand is just that. It is a career choice. It may have been at one time only female, a "ministry" a "mission" and rather nun-like. However, this is not the case in today's society. It is interesting that in nursing their are conduct rules, dress codes, and other rather interesting throw-backs to an era gone by. But the bottom line in this is that in fact there are straight male nurses--not every male nurse is gay or wants to be female due to some gender identification.

One of my aunts is a heavy equiptment operator. LOVES it, is good at it, and has done it for years. And along with her work boots and jeans (and one could argue those are "rules" regarding clothes in her career) she is 100% female, is not what one would consider "manly" and in a mostly male profession.

At one time, there were few women in finance, few women lawyers.....and those women in what were traditionally male professions were labeled gay. Lets not do the same thing in nuring.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion