MALE nurses

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Why is it that whenever someone tells a story about a nurse, who happened to be a man (or a man, who happens to be a nurse), they always say "He's a MALE nurse" (and they always put emphasis on MALE)?

"Yeah, so I was talking to my brother-in-law the other day - he's a MALE nurse - and he was telling me about his great health insurance."

These are always in conversations where his profession is only tangentially related to the conversation, and his gender is not at all related to the conversation (and is completely obvious when you continually refer to him as HE!!).

It's almost like there are two classifications: nurses, and Malenurses (like it's one word).

The only other time I've noticed that people feel the need to put the gender in front of the profession is when they're talking about prostitutes. MALE prostitutes, as opposed to run-of-the-mill female prostitutes.

So what's up with that?

Specializes in Pediatrics.
Seriously, wouldn't that make her African-American even if she is white and from South Africa??

I thought so. But I guess people would look at her funny if she referred to herself as such. But that's what we get for insisting on putting 'labels' on people. :rolleyes:

And you ever notice that there are some that refer to any latino person as "mexican" whether they are or not?

yes, especially on the west coast or SW. My mom said when she lived in NY, latino people were always referred to as Puerto rican. :rolleyes:

Seriously, wouldn't that make her African-American even if she is white and from South Africa??

Aren't white south africans called afrikanners? (not sure of the spelling), and i agree the whole classification thing is stupid.

Specializes in PCU, ICU, PACU.

We should all just be "human". Forget the whole country, race, color thing altogether.

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Makes sense to me, i do not see how equality can reign unless we are all called human, and not adding more to it.

Or "nurse". Or "doctor".

Specializes in Inpatient Acute Rehab.
And you ever notice that there are some that refer to any latino person as "mexican" whether they are or not?

THAT is true!!! I am not hispanic, I am caucasian. However, my husband is hispanic, so therefore my last name is Garcia. I have had people say "Funny, you do not LOOK Mexican." or " Garcia; isn't that a Mexican name?"

THAT is true!!! I am not hispanic, I am caucasian. However, my husband is hispanic, so therefore my last name is Garcia. I have had people say "Funny, you do not LOOK Mexican." or " Garcia; isn't that a Mexican name?"

I;m balck and my husband is white woth a german last name, so i have gotten a few surprised looks! :rolleyes:

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
Aren't white south africans called afrikanners? (not sure of the spelling), and i agree the whole classification thing is stupid.

Afrikaaners, I believe. Originally Dutch immigrants, right?

Specializes in NICU.
That is also true with races. I remember talking to my mom about this when I was like 10 years old.. People will tell stories and say "that mexican girl.." Why not just say that girl? Or talking about a guy from work "you know that black guy that works in accounting." Ummm.. you wouldn't say "that white guy that works in accounting" would you??

Maybe is is a minority thing. Minority in the true sense of the word, meaning numbers. There are not a lot of male nurses..

Yeah, maybe it is a minority thing. The high school I went to had a big hispanic population and I remember times being referred to as "the white girl". So I think it just all depends on who's in the minority, but I agree, I don't see why it should even have to be pointed out that way. Who cares if it was "the black guy" or who cares if it was the "white girl" or who cares if it was "the male nurse"? It has no bearing on anything!

And you ever notice that there are some that refer to any latino person as "mexican" whether they are or not?

Yes, way too often. Good friends of our family are of Hawaiian descent, their 11 year old was telling me that people come up to her at school and just start talking spanish to her and tell her she should know spanish because she's mexican :rolleyes:

i don't blame you for being annoyed by this. i recently worked with a resident who was from south africa, and was white. i jokingly said (not in front of her, but in front of some black co-workers), 'does this make her african american'? they didn't get it.

i had a friend in high school who was from south africa. he was white. he always checked "african-american" on forms. :-)

btw, i don't think all south africans are afrikanns.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

my husband always refers to himself as a registered nurse. those folks that would emphasize the male (as in male nurse) always seem a bit nonplussed by this!

about the african american thing -- it's the pc thing to do. i admit to not understanding it, and it always rolls me when someone gets carried away with their political correctness. the other day i was taking report on a "33 year old african american woman who speaks no english."

ok, i'll bite. "so what language does she speak."

"she speaks ethiopian, or whatever language they speak in ethiopia."

"so she's an african woman?"

"no, she's african american. she's black." and the nurse went on to tell me how this woman was in the u.s. visiting family, she has a home in ethiopia and has no plans to stay in the u.s. so how is she american???? she's african!

Specializes in Pediatrics.
[color=darkorchid"no, she's african american. she's black." and the nurse went on to tell me how this woman was in the u.s. visiting family, she has a home in ethiopia and has no plans to stay in the u.s. so how is she american???? she's african!

excellent example. we have taken it to the point of ridiculous, and we are soooo afraid of offending or 'mislabeling' others.

while we're on the subject, i have no problem being referred to as 'white'. where do caucasians come from anyway, the isle of caucasia?? seriously, what is the origin of that word?

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