Gay male nurse stereotype?

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So, a question has arisen in my mind since I have been in CNA class waiting for nursing school to start.

There are only 2 guys in my class of 25, and the other guy is married and I'm gay. After doing clinicals in the hospital, I have yet to see another gay male CNA or nurse.

Where does this stereotype come from? I am not seeing it at all.

I think it has more to do with the concentration of gay males in the city where you're working.

There are probably a lot more gay male nurses in San Francisco than in Des Moines.

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Specializes in Emergency/ Critical Care.
Since I graduated in 71..I remember working with 3 gay nurses. I have fielded more than 20 comments in my lifetime that suggested I must be gay to choose nursing. In another posting I believe someone suggested changing the title from NURSE to something else. I think before more males jump into nursing that will have to happen. I am 62, and I know with aging, and the increase in female hormones that entails..the name will be more fitting., But personally, I am ready for a title change now.

It could help alleviate the nurse shortage. Sorry If i read that in a post here and have adopted it as mine. Why not Hospital tech l or Hospital tech ll if more advanced on down the line. Or Hospital tech/OR spec

or Hospital tech/ICU specialist. I think NURSE was fine for the Middle ages, but not for today. I think the public seems confused..too,..I get ..how can you be a nurse you are man? Not often but comments like that do surface. But, being a female dominated profession, don't see how a title change would be in their list of priorities. I think most would fight legislation going in that direction. For the record..I am straight..

My brother said he would have liked to have been a nurse had it not been for the negative stereotypes attached to men in nursing... he also suggested a title change as a way to draw more men into nursing....

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Two of my ex-boyfriends are former U.S. Marines......(Just for the record, I am a gay man).

Wow, how'd you fool them??

LOL j/k - all in good fun...

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Can we just get over the straight vs gay thing? I'm straight and have gay friends at work and outside the hospital. The more we postulate on stereo-types, the more we perpetuate them--esp as guys in nursing. I'm really not concerned with what my pts think about my sexuallity, just that I'm giving them the best care I can-and being a brother to all the comrades of my care team.

I totally agree...and I don't think we need a separate name for male nurses either. We all have to take the same NCLEX exam and the qualifications are the same whether you're gay, straight, male, female, white, black, or purple. Except for the licensing and legal differences between LPN/LVNs and RNs, a nurse is a nurse is a nurse. We share a common goal of caring for patients and should celebrate our commonality of purpose, instead of trying to segregate who's what. The only way to promote equality is to TREAT with equality. Just my :twocents:

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Specializes in Rheumatology/Emergency Medicine.

I'm working as a PCT while attending school, there is an phlebotomist here that is going to school as well and his is flaaaaaming gay, even "talks" gay to let you know, no gaydar required. He's nice and I wouldn't mind working with him at all as a nurse.

Tony

p.s. But I do feel gayer, the longer I work around all these danged women :D

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Specializes in Radiologic Technologist, now in Nursing.

Stereotypes are based on misconceptions. Be genuine. Be Yourself. Be a Competent Nurse. Nobody will care who you sleep with. If people are curious be flattered..........that means you are important enough to them that they are curious. Life goes by quickly, don't spend it worried about what anyone thinks of you. LIVE YOUR LIFE BOLDLY my friend! People respond to goodness no matter what package it is wrapped in......black, white, yellow, thin, fat, tall, short, straight, gay, male, female, transgendered. We are all people and all of us deserve dignity and respect. Thank you for bringing this topic up my brotha! Now get out there and do good work!

I would PERSONALLY rather have a COMPETENT nurse, I don't care what package he or she comes in!:twocents:

Remember to love yourself.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I'm a male soon-to-be nurse that has a pet maltipoo, loves musicals, and was nearly a theatre major in college.

And I'm straight.

:p

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Specializes in Radiologic Technologist, now in Nursing.

Dude,

You rock. Thanks for being so genuine and for busting stereotypes. I bet some sensitive female is going to snap you up!

A dude who actually wants to see a chick film! ROCK ON BUDDY!

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Dude,

You rock. Thanks for being so genuine and for busting stereotypes. I bet some sensitive female is going to snap you up!

A dude who actually wants to see a chick film! ROCK ON BUDDY!

I'm actually already married.

And I draw the line at chick flicks. They aren't fit to be considered art.

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" Originally Posted by Bonjour "Two of my ex-boyfriends are former U.S. Marines......(Just for the record, I am a gay man)." ;

Wow, how'd you fool them??

LOL j/k - all in good fun...

As a former Marines and current nurse, I didn't find it surprising that there are more gays in the military than in the nursing profession.

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Specializes in midwifery, NICU.
Stereotypes are based on misconceptions. Be genuine. Be Yourself. Be a Competent Nurse. Nobody will care who you sleep with. If people are curious be flattered..........that means you are important enough to them that they are curious. Life goes by quickly, don't spend it worried about what anyone thinks of you. LIVE YOUR LIFE BOLDLY my friend! People respond to goodness no matter what package it is wrapped in......black, white, yellow, thin, fat, tall, short, straight, gay, male, female, transgendered. We are all people and all of us deserve dignity and respect. Thank you for bringing this topic up my brotha! Now get out there and do good work!

I would PERSONALLY rather have a COMPETENT nurse, I don't care what package he or she comes in!:twocents:

Remember to love yourself.

:yeahthat:*wine

You have SO got it....In spades!!!!!:yeah::yeah::yeah:

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Specializes in midwifery, NICU.
I'm actually already married.

And I draw the line at chick flicks. They aren't fit to be considered art.

But they are damn great to have a bubble to, whilst eating chocolate and feeling hormonal!!!!:D

( you kinda burst the bubble there..all us girls peekin in thought you were a sensitive guy who would cry at the chick flicks along with us!!!):chuckle::chuckle

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