CLARIFICATION

MedSurgeMess · Jun 22, 2009

I think because it's a predominantly female profession. But that still doesn't make it right

oseibonsu · Jun 22, 2009

I think we can talk about it and make it right.

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Jun 22, 2009

Because nursing has historically been a predominantly female profession. Males did not begin entering nursing in the U.S. until comparatively recently. Only 10% of my graduating class was male.

Conversely, if you read any academic text, chances are that it will refer to people in terms such as "he", "him", "his", and humankind as "man" or "mankind", etc. There is no commonly accepted gender neutral term, though it would be nice in this day and age if there were.

MurseMikeD · Jun 22, 2009

Because nursing has historically been a predominantly female profession. Males did not begin entering nursing in the U.S. until comparatively recently.

Wrong. Women didn't begin entering professional nursing in large numbers until just over 200 years ago, and it took Florence Nightengale necessarily disenfranchising men in nursing for that to happen.

Men have been nursing since before the time of Christ. Schools just do a lousy job of teaching including the history of men in nursing alongside that of women.

Moogie · Jun 22, 2009

Conversely, if you read any academic text, chances are that it will refer to people in terms such as "he", "him", "his", and humankind as "man" or "mankind", etc. There is no commonly accepted gender neutral term, though it would be nice in this day and age if there were.

I think it's sexist whenever I pick up an academic text that refers to people by using masculine pronouns. Conversely, I can see why a man in nursing would similarly be offended when he picks up a nursing text that exclusively uses feminine pronouns. It's awkward and grammatically incorrect, but I would rather see gender neutral terms such as "he/she", "him/her" or "himself/herself" used not only in academic texts but in common usage of the English language.

BTW, good point, MurseMikeD, about the history of men in nursing. That's a fascinating---and often overlooked---part of the history of our profession. Schools of nursing don't teach nearly enough about the history of nursing and that's a blasted shame.

KatyAtlanta · Jun 22, 2009

The fact is, English doesn't give us the choice of a "neuter" gender. And if it did, we'd likely complain about it. Reading he/she, him/her, etc. is very cumbersome. I'm female, but have no problem thinking of myself as part of "mankind". There's an old saying that "it takes three generations to make a gentleman". It's just going to take some time, and all the great men in nursing, to eventually have no one assuming nurse=female. Be patient, and fight bigger battles. It's certainly happened for doctors.

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Jun 23, 2009

Wrong. Women didn't begin entering professional nursing in large numbers until just over 200 years ago, and it took Florence Nightengale necessarily disenfranchising men in nursing for that to happen.
Men have been nursing since before the time of Christ. Schools just do a lousy job of teaching including the history of men in nursing alongside that of women.

Excuse me. Perhaps I should have stated "Modern" nursing.

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Jun 23, 2009

I think it's sexist whenever I pick up an academic text that refers to people by using masculine pronouns. Conversely, I can see why a man in nursing would similarly be offended when he picks up a nursing text that exclusively uses feminine pronouns.

I didn't say it wasn't sexist.

Moogie · Jun 24, 2009

I didn't say it wasn't sexist.

I know you didn't. I apologize if I inadvertently offended you. My intended target is the grammar police.

rpric7990 · Jul 1, 2009

fewer than 6% of the 2.9 million rns in the us are male (aacn, 2002). i agree that our textbooks should be gender neutral as all other texts. however, english grammar used the male pronoun to be inclusive for many a year so one should not assume a sexist attitude. i am a part of mankind, though i'm a female. thanks.

american association of colleges of nursing [aacn] (2002). “2002 american association of colleges of nursing annual state of the schools. retrieved june 14, 2009 from www.aacn.nche.edu/media/annualreport02.pdf.

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Jul 1, 2009

However, English grammar used the male pronoun to be inclusive for many a year so one should not assume a sexist attitude.

Why does the English language use the masculine as an inclusive pronoun? Have you ever studied that history? Fact is, had events long ago simply turned out differently, we could very easily be using the feminine as an inclusive pronoun. If you think sexism is not at work, you are mislead.