"I didn't know you were gay"

1guy2pups · Jun 3, 2004

I make it easy to understand - 94% of Nurses are female. Do you have the same opportunity to meet women at your job??

I'll have to change my tune when I marry again....

Ollie Bear · Jun 4, 2004

I'm three months into my VN (PN) program and have had just a couple a people try that one on me. So far it has not gotten on my nerves and it's humor is still fresh. I usually just explain than any idiot can harm but it takes a truly courageous person to heal....besides there are 40 people in my class only seven of which are guys. "I'm sure you'll have much better luck getting to know 33 intelligent, motivated, caring, attractive, and often times lonley women at your job."

If I'd have known then what I know now...I qould have been a male cheerleader instead of playing football.

Ollie

alexsb1116 · Jun 4, 2004

Never heard that joke personally. Hmmm. Maybe it's the Martial Arts T-Shirts. :rotfl:

twice this week, I've mentioned to acquaintences of mine that I plan to get into nursing, and the reponse has been a joking "Don't you have to be gay to do that?" sort of response.
Does that stereotype actually still exist? Sheesh. I'll have to let my girlfriend know the bad news. :chuckle

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Jun 4, 2004

Here is a funny story .... when my son was 11 (he is 13 now) .... his class was having a career day. Being involved in his class, his teacher asked me if I would come in and discuss nursing as a career. Of course, I was excited about the issue and said yes ..... well, the teacher also informed my son that I would be coming to class and presenting my profession for career day. I can only imgaine him holding in his embarrassment for the entire day, because when he got home, he was freaked. He begged me not to do it and said that all the kids would think I was gay and then also think that he was too.

Being the kind of dad that does not want to promote problems for my son, I declined the offer. Fortunately today, he thinks differently of nursing and has actually talked about the possibilities of becoming a CRNA.

jaymee77 · Jun 4, 2004

Ha! I'll tell them it's on the list of pre-requisites:
"A&P, micro, statistics, human lifespan development,
and 3 months in a relationship with a man!"

shoot does that go for girls too??? of so i'm OUT!:uhoh21:

TeenyBabyRN · Jun 4, 2004

You know, the nurse that took care of my son in the ER was a man and he was wonderful!! It never even occured to me that he might be gay. Anyone know where that stinking myth came from anyways?

I'd say it probably has something to do with the fact that the profession shares its name with the act of putting an infant to breast. It seems like they could have found something better to call us.

Farkinott, RN · Jun 5, 2004

This seems an unduly harsh reaction to what is probably an innocent question.
Perhaps you have some unaddressed issues with being a male in a predominantly female profession?
Perhaps, considering you are dealing with patients, you might come up with a creative response that soothes your feelings without assaulting the feelings of others.
(Where has "caring" gone?)

I see your point but I DO say it with humour! Aussie humour can be a bit different for our American cousins to understand (I have an american flatmate)so don't take it the wrong way. Most people I say it to have a small reality check and realise that it is a stupid question. Result? We get over it and have a beer together!

Pax :)

Cletus · Jun 11, 2004

Gay or Straight should not even be an issue, are you qualified to do the job and do it well with compassion for your pt's.

FsPilotMed1 · Jun 11, 2004

I'm a male nursing student, and the other day I worked on our hospital's ortho/neuro rehab unit with an all-male staff. Total scheduling coincidence, but the nurses, aides, and therapists were all men. It was one of the best shifts I've ever worked!

D.

MrsWampthang, BSN, RN · Jun 11, 2004

We work in the same ER and one night I worked with him and two other male nurses, and the doc that night was male. Talk about feeling like a minority! What stunk was that I was going to get stuck with assisting with all the pelvics! How fair is that?! :eek:

Hmmmmm, maybe that's why my db hasn't proposed to me either :rolleyes:

NAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! :chuckle

Pam

Token Male · Jun 14, 2004

There is some justice in the world after all. :chuckle

guest22304 · Jun 23, 2004

My male cousin is married to a (female) physical therapist and he is an RN. He is very straight. Also, my husband considered going to nursing school as well as my brother in law. I think it is great that males are getting into it. I have several gay friends (male) and they are not even in the medical field. How ridiculous. Also, not all male hairdressers are gay, either.