Misogyny in Nursing

Nurses Relations

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

You are reading page 9 of Misogyny in Nursing

Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.
A nurse named Teresa Brown wrote a book about her first year in nursing. Apparently, her first assignment was on a patient unit with a whole lot of yelling, backstabbing, etc. She moved to another unit & all was well.

I loved that book. Though at the time reading about that CNL that was giving her such a hard time during report was that was behavior born of someone that had been burnt before. We all have little things we are pedantic about. Gather enough of those and you become a .....

Ruby Vee, BSN

17 Articles; 14,030 Posts

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
before i quit to go back to school i worked for over 15 years in a male dominated industry, and in that time i can count on one hand the number of women i worked with on a daily basis. my statement was more a commentary on what my girlfriends and family have gone through. i never once stated it was my personal experience.

to signal out one person (who you don't know) and point out what you perceive as their flaws, makes you a just flat out mean. i didn't ask you - don't judge people, it isn't a flattering trait.

how ironic -- blasting me for judging people when you've just judged an entire gender. thank you for your opinion.

Ruby Vee, BSN

17 Articles; 14,030 Posts

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Do blanket statements about the negative characteristics of women reflect a misogynistic attitude? Yes, I believe they do.

Do people make blanket statements based upon their own personal experience? Of course.

Are human beings capable of recognizing their own biases and questioning them? Absolutely!

Therefore, in my opinion, those who cling to misogynistic viewpoints without examining them are *choosing* to do so, which makes it even more misogynistic.

And how exactly would you know who hasn't examined their beliefs?

It's fairly obvious when someone is defending vs. examining their beliefs. Anyone who accuses others of "being mean to them" rather than making an intelligent argument is probably not examining their beliefs very closely.

Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN

1 Article; 2,816 Posts

And how exactly would you know who hasn't examined their beliefs?

I don't claim to.

Stephalump

2,723 Posts

Specializes in Forensic Psych.

I don't claim to.

I meant that as a serious question, not personally. In retrospect, I should have worded it differently. :)

allnurses Guide

nursel56

7,078 Posts

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I only know a handful of people who I would call catty. One of them is a man. I know a lot of people who call women catty for behaviors that are more accurately described as something else. I've once made an observation about what a complete stranger was wearing as she walked down the street to my male companion, and he said, "meeeeee-ow". :confused: No . . . it was more like "What Not to Wear" and I really don't feel myself to be competing with everyone who happens to have two x chromosomes, really. He remained skeptical.

The pervasiveness of the "all women are catty" myth leads people to see it and believe it when a more nuanced explanation would probably disprove a lot of the knee-jerk labeling. I think it's sort of funny that women who say they can't stand other women and only hang out with other guys have deemed themselves to be male in that regard. I wonder how many people who know them well would agree.

2BRN123

166 Posts

you're right, i don't know you. i'm just pointing out that if the majority of your interactions with other women is negative maybe it's not them. maybe it's you. that was not catty, unprofessional or mean. it might even have been helpful, if you were open to it.
yup, drama follows drama. man, woman or otherwise.
Specializes in Critical Care.
This is an example of misogyny right there. You read into my statement whatever was going to support your viewpoint not what I actually said. Often when people are participating in relational aggression they see themselves not as participating in the abuse but in supporting the agressor. MOST people don't get up and go to work and think today I will be an evil cow and help attack my coworkers. No they think they have their coworker friends back.

Most bullies are not aware that they are a bully IMHO. The average person wouldn't continue to participate in such behaviors if they recognize it as being cruel. I do believe that people are inherently good they just don't know how to go about it.

Interesting viewpoint, if that's how the rest of the gang justifies bullying as just "supporting" their chosen leader, I think that's sad and ridiculous! Never been one for cliques, won't be part of one! I'm too independent and stubborn and won't let someone have that kind of control over me! Reminds me of high school when I overheard a group of girls with the ring leader telling the others what they were going to wear the next day and who they could go out with!

The leader is usually someone who is very narccisistic and needs to be the center of attention! Frankly, I don't get why people fawn over someone and are willing to give them that kind of power and adulation at work or over their personal life. One young girl based her decision to get married on the approval of one such "leader" at work! Really, you would let someone else decide who your going to marry? Are you kidding me! True story! Inevitably divorce followed down the line!

Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

Again you read into my statement what you wanted to hear in order to validate your viewpoint.

What I actually said was that people are inheriently good. They think they are doing the right thing but lack insight into their own behavior. The average person doesn't go into a movie theatre shooting people either but this thread would lead you to believe any women who has behaved in a way to another women that the second woman did not like is part of an evil cliche but its just not true.

Specializes in Critical Care.

And in your fairy tale world you live in bullying doesn't happen! It's all just a misunderstanding! The many people who have been victims of this would disagree with you!

eleectrosaurus

149 Posts

Specializes in Cardiac/Neuro Stepdown.
cat-fight10.gif
Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

I've been a victim of bullying and I've BEEN a bully but most bullies don't self identify as being bullies. Anyone who has read any of my post would know I don't subscribe to fairytales but if you want to read it that way so you get to use some !!! then thats fine by me.

Thanks for the cat pic electrosaurus I've literally been dealing with that all day. Got a new cat a few weeks ago and they are just now starting to hate each other.

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