Is there/should there be a gay/lesbian nurses association?

inquiringnurse · Jul 18, 2004

Something else to consider is that organizations support members by passing along info, for instance about legislation.

I had originally asked the question because I wondered if nurses do have one, since docs have historically been better about taking care of their own, so to speak.

Today I received a copy of legislation out of Michigan that disappointed me..as I had said in my first post, I am taking a class on transcultural nursing and we are trying to learn in it how to be more "competent' in considering differences in people in our care, we think that will make us better nurses.

Check out the "Consciencious Objector Policy Act"..

http://www.michiganlegislature.org/documents/2003-

2004/billengrossed/house/htm/2003-HEBH-5006.htm

it allows health care professionals to refuse to care for people based on "moral" grounds, except in emergencies.

I found that scary, disappointing, sad.

kmchugh · Jul 18, 2004

Good lord, who cares? Since I am straight, I wouldn't join, but would cover for a co-worker so they could go to a meeting or whatever.

If a group of gay/lesbian/bisexual nurses want to get together and form their own organization, more power to them. A huge advantage of professional organizations is that they give the members the ability to get together, discuss common problems and offer solutions that have worked. The gay/lesbian/bisexual community is the last group in our society that can be acceptably, openly, discriminated against. They are working to change that, and anything that might help, go for it.

Kevin McHugh

**SKM-NURSIEPOOH, BSN, RN** · Jul 19, 2004

gaycenter.org, national coalition for lgbt health, gayhealthchannel.com, pflag.org, out.com, & advocate.com. this article called professional caucuses by randy shilts from the advocate, september 10, 1975 (nearly 29 years old) is a good example of why lgbt or glbt nursing associations/groups/& or organizations are needed. here's an excerpt:

"...a lesbian nurse soon found herself having to listen to other nurses' queer jokes and gossip about wild (a gay patient) during coffee breaks. according to innes, she wanted to say something, but she remained silent for fear of being identified as gay. "it really wrecked her to have to cop out," says innes. but she had nowhere to turn...."

it's sad to have to feel there's nowhere to turn for emotional & professional support....but having an association/group/organization in place to vent would've made a world of difference to this nurse & her patient.

inquiringnurse...you can also try 'n contact the national lesbian and gay nurses association. for information on this group serving the needs of those in the nursing field, call 718/933-1158....or you can contact the gay nurses alliance at 800 n. west street wilmington, de 19801 for more information.

another reason for lgbt benefit equality is retirement 401 savings. here's an article (homophobia and unequal treatment limit quality of life for glbt elders by elizabeth toledo and sean cahill - december 7, 2000) which sums-up what happens to elderly lgbt people...sad but true.

cheers!

moe

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jul 19, 2004

I do not appreciate the lectures that were in my direction, for me using the word 'preference', because i was NOT using that word to mean someone is CHOOSING to be gay :rolleyes: . I already stated that i lacked a word for what i was trying to say at the time, and i don't feel right about saying 'lifestyle', because that to me sounds like it's being called a hobby, which it is not. I do 'live in the now', i'm not ignorant where this subject is concerned, and nor did i "miss" anyone's "point, i simply do not agree with an organization that is limited to the nursing field, when the problems that exist are in every profession out there. An organization as such should be open to any profession, because the problems that have already been pointed out are not limited to just nurses.

Lys · Jul 19, 2004

rocknurse...you're my freakin hero. *lol*

i think that there is a connection between being gay/l/b/t and being a nurse. so much of who i am is a nurse...and is gay. granted that yes, issues dealing with benefits, time off, self-disclosure has to do with *any* profession but for me, it would have the most pertienent connection for me to be able to discuss those issues with other *nurses*; also, there are issues that are specific to nursing also.

my prime example: in clinical last term, i had a classmate (a male) who was assigned an older woman as a client. when she required use of the bedside commode, she did not feel comfortable having him assist her, and requested a female nurse. so he got me to help her. how do you think i felt going into that situation. she didn't want him because he was a man. do you think that she would have been ok with me assisting her in toileting if she knew i was "one of those lesbians"? i didn't say anything of course, but i thought about how she could possibly feel if she knew.

now...could i discuss *that* particular issue with a non-nurse? likely, but i would probably not get the same depth of conversation as i would with a nurse who's been in a similar situation.

also, i think that a glbt-nurse association would help create awareness that we are here. i hear all of my fellow nurses talking about their husbands, children, etc...and having clients ask me if i'm married yet...i have to choose every day whether or not to disclose to them that i am not married because i'm in a committed relationship with an amazing woman, and have no children yet because it's *really* difficult to have an unplanned pregnancy when you're a gay woman *lol* ;-)

i think that nursing is a very close-knit community (on most units that i've encountered at least) and if you out yourself, it spreads like wild-fire...and if someone doesn't like you for it, your time at work can be a very uncomfortable experience. i can think of few professions that have a social structure like nursing does, so i feel that the issues for glbt nurses are unique :rolleyes:

inquiringnurse: if you would like some resources on how nurses can care for glbt clients, i have some great ones...feel free to pm me and i can give you refs :)

sorry about my verbose nature.

RN92 · Jul 19, 2004

I dont understand how having a g/l nurses association is going to change how you are viewed by your co-workers or pts. By all means, start one if you want to. Im tired of having peoples sexuality stuffed down my throat!!! If you're grown up enough to be homosexual - then be grown up enough to handle the consequences. We all have "issues" that make us different. You overcome peoples prejudices and earn their respect by doing your job and doing it well. That will make you stronger. Why do you need an association to validate your worth.? If you show up for work, pull your weight and help others - then I dont care what you choose to do at home , just like you dont care what I do at home. Do we really need an association for short nurses, blond nurses, overweight nurses, etc....

abundantjoy07, RN · Jul 19, 2004

you are focusing on the health care needs of homosexuals. i don't think their healthcare needs are any different from anyone else. they eat, they sleep, and they catch the same bugs the rest of us do. i think to focus on their healthcare needs is uncessarily discriminatory because, as i said before, they are no different than any other sick person. now cultural differences is an entirely different thing. south american culture, hawaiian culture, religious culture...but sexual preferences? i don't understand that. i may be wrong...but that's my opinion.

i am studying transcultural nursing and am focusing on health care needs of gays/lesbians/bisexuals/transgender patients, and a question has come up that i would like more nursing opinions/info about. does anyone know of a gay/lesbian nurses association? should there be one? there is a gay and lesbian medical association.
thanks, any input will be appreciated.

Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP · Jul 19, 2004

I dont understand how having a g/l nurses association is going to change how you are viewed by your co-workers or pts. By all means, start one if you want to. Im tired of having peoples sexuality stuffed down my throat!!! If you're grown up enough to be homosexual - then be grown up enough to handle the consequences. We all have "issues" that make us different. You overcome peoples prejudices and earn their respect by doing your job and doing it well. That will make you stronger. Why do you need an association to validate your worth.? If you show up for work, pull your weight and help others - then I dont care what you choose to do at home , just like you dont care what I do at home. Do we really need an association for short nurses, blond nurses, overweight nurses, etc....

Firstly, it's not about how others view us, but how we feel about ourselves, and how we interact with the world around us. Secondly, if you are grown up enough to be a nurse and a human being then you are grown up enough to deal with the fact that the world is made up of diverse cultures and you need accept that different people have different needs. It may be a surprise but you are not the only one, and your way is not the only way. Being gay is not just about what I do "at home" or what I do in bed, it's who I am, every day, every shift, every day off, 24/7. It's cultural, and reflective and has a lot to do with the way I see things, just as your heterosexuality has to do with the way you view things. Try waking up in a gay world one morning and you'll see what I mean. Lastly, I am quite tired of having the heterosexual lifestyle being shoved down my throat, on TV, in magazines, in everyday conversation, but I have to deal with it and accept the majority's complete unawareness of my existence. Quite frankly your post came over as slightly bitter, a bit angry, and a little rude.

Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP · Jul 19, 2004

you are focusing on the health care needs of homosexuals. i don't think their healthcare needs are any different from anyone else. they eat, they sleep, and they catch the same bugs the rest of us do. i think to focus on their healthcare needs is uncessarily discriminatory because, as i said before, they are no different than any other sick person. now cultural differences is an entirely different thing. south american culture, hawaiian culture, religious culture...but sexual preferences? i don't understand that. i may be wrong...but that's my opinion.

but it is cultural, that's the point. just because you don't understand it doesn't make it invalid. do you mean to say that you only concentrate on your patients physical needs, and not their emotional or spiritual ones? everyone assumes everyone else is heterosexual unless they're told, and being a gay patient can be quite daunting when revealing who your next of kin is and their relationship to you can instantly out you. i have seen the relief on the face of a patient when i already acknowledge that the guy or girl sitting next to them is theur partner. it's just an awkward barrier that we can remove to make the patient feel more at ease. being a gay nurse allows you just a little more insight into what these patients are going through, and we can discuss among ourselves the best way to address that.

recently i had to go to er as a patient, and i gave my partner's name which is obviously female. the secretary asked me the relationship of that name to me and i had to say partner. the silence was obvious and so were the pursed lips and strange expression. those are the everyday commonplace issues we deal with and it's just nice to be able to share those with other gay nurses. as we don't always know who is gay, then belonging to a group would automatically place you in that environment without having to explain. a safe haven to express oneself in the unique company of healthcare workers. surely a little support is not too much to ask without offending you is it? how can this be discriminatory? we deal with heterosexual people day in and day out, always giving them respect and care, so why can we not offer the same to gay people? i think sometimes the world would just be more comfortable if we were invisible.

JayneG · Jul 19, 2004

wow... lots of big stuff here... great thought and insight... i've come to this thread several times in the past couple of days, and of course, thought about it while i'm at work and at play...

i am lesbian, living in a heterosexual world... i'm one of only two LPN's on a cardiac telemetry unit, working in an RN world... i'm the only person on my floor who is married to a person of the same sex, the only to have married in Vermont... my blond haired blue eyed lady wasn't able to conceive, so eons ago she adopted -- three of her children are bi-racial, one is black, and my three children resemble me... that sorta sets us apart in family photos and on outings :) ... i'm the only nurse on my floor currently expecting a grandchild (#4 due in January) and one of only two on my floor with grandchildren at all... my lady works full time days and carries 18 credits at traditional college each semester with a 3.87 average, so i'm the only nurse on my floor sleeping with a co-ed ... i'm the only nurse on floor who volunteers to work six 12-hr night shifts a week (we are required to work only three to be considered full time) and everyone is in total wonderment of that alone... and i'm attending Excelsior College and moving right along towards my RN... i work in the sticks in NY and i'm the only nurse on the floor born and raised in So. Calif... i'm the only nurse on my floor who has had their parental rights terminated 7 years ago and custody of their 12 yr old son given to his father solely because of my sexual orientation, despite the fact that his two older siblings were raised by the same mother... there are so many things about me that sets me apart from my co-workers besides my sexuality...

now that you can see where this is going...

i didn't come "out" when i moved here two years ago to have a life with my lady, i took this job and i went to work... the only person i discussed my sexuality with was my Nurse Manager, right off the bat, so she would know and understand that i have the same family committments my co-workers have... and i listened to the comments made by staff in report and at the desk when a gay or lesbian patient, visiting family member, float nurse, or celebrity on the news was the topic, and i said nothing, the same way i won't laugh at vulgar jokes and i won't praise folks who brag on the deer they kill in the fall... and over the course of time, the entire staff has come to know that Jay is my lady, she's a wonderful cook, she sends incredible dishes to work for me to share, we celebrate her successes in school, we have a family life and all that goes with it, and i work very very hard so she can become a first grade teacher... and i am leading by example...

being lesbian is such a small part of all that i am, and yet it's such a huge part of all that i am as well... i'm a woman, a nurse, a conservative republican catholic pro-life mom and grandmother, a partner and a sister and a daughter... i wear make up and i iron all my uniforms... i was president of my children's catholic school PTA, i taught first communion and confirmation, and i attend mass as often as i can... i go to a gay & lesbian club to have a beer and dance and be in my comfort zone, i've been to Pride in several cities all over the US, and i have rainbow decals on my little Tracker and a red aids awareness ribbon on my work ID badge... but i'm not so sure i need a separate Nurse's Association when i've worked so very hard at blending and helping people realize we're all the same... being lesbian isn't about my bedroom life... it's just what is...

abundantjoy07, RN · Jul 19, 2004

but it is cultural, that's the point. just because you don't understand it doesn't make it invalid. do you mean to say that you only concentrate on your patients physical needs, and not their emotional or spiritual ones? everyone assumes everyone else is heterosexual unless they're told, and being a gay patient can be quite daunting when revealing who your next of kin is and their relationship to you can instantly out you. i have seen the relief on the face of a patient when i already acknowledge that the guy or girl sitting next to them is theur partner. it's just an awkward barrier that we can remove to make the patient feel more at ease. being a gay nurse allows you just a little more insight into what these patients are going through, and we can discuss among ourselves the best way to address that.

recently i had to go to er as a patient, and i gave my partner's name which is obviously female. the secretary asked me the relationship of that name to me and i had to say partner. the silence was obvious and so were the pursed lips and strange expression. those are the everyday commonplace issues we deal with and it's just nice to be able to share those with other gay nurses. as we don't always know who is gay, then belonging to a group would automatically place you in that environment without having to explain. a safe haven to express oneself in the unique company of healthcare workers. surely a little support is not too much to ask without offending you is it? how can this be discriminatory? we deal with heterosexual people day in and day out, always giving them respect and care, so why can we not offer the same to gay people? i think sometimes the world would just be more comfortable if we were invisible.

so basically this is deeper than what i first got out of it. we're talking about discrimination here. people being judged on the basis of their sexual preferences. what i saw was "healthcare needs of gays and lesbians" not discrimination within medical facilities. i didn't understand how you can treat people differently due to their sexual preferences. in my mind i saw, iv's, needles, monitors, air mattresses, and bottles of tylenol...not discriminiation. the statement made about "studying transcultural nursing and focusing on health care needs of gays/lesbians/bisexuals/transgender patients" was poorly worded.

anyway, i never made a comment on wheather or not there should be an organization to support this or not....i just responded to the statement and not the question.

and just because i don't understand something doesn't make it invalid...you're right. there's a lot of stuff out there i don't know and their are always two or more sides to any argument or discussion. and people are entitled to think what they want to think.

it doesn't matter to me what my patient is. he could be a devil worshipping hate monger who proclaims himself to be the next hitler. why should i treat him any differently? people are people, regardless. and to discriminate like that is crap. you can't not help someone because you don't understand or like them. if that was the case then why would i be in nursing? you nurse because you love and care for people. and that means caring for all areas of their general wellbeing. from wiping up poo to smiling and nodding when the patient wants to tell you about the underground cult he belongs to.

see i have never been in a situation like yours...but reading what you wrote tells me, "this person has been judged unfairly because the secretary doesn't like this that and the other about her." well, yes, that does stink. i wouldn't like some doctor not wanting to touch me because of the color of my skin.

as far as the culture thing, i've never regarded sexual preferences as a culture. maybe it is... that's food for thought.

Maggie Mae · Jul 19, 2004

BabyRN there are specific health care issues that gays,lesbians,bi, and trans gender people deal with.

Check out this link for some more info

http://www.glma.org/medical/clinical/index.shtml