2 Things...I Need Some Input!

pmchap · Mar 1, 2005

Dude - wether you free ball, boxer or brief it - it is your choice - and I must say that even discussing this edges close to why I think that there is some latent concept about male nurses and sexual preference (now if we where discussing whether our counterparts should wear thongs that is a different story :chuckle ). Firstly no real man discusses how his genitalia and how it feels - unless it is to scratch, adjust or groan after being hit/kicked or otherwise inflicted, second the perception is that only gay men would discuss some things that nurses seem to be able to openly discuss along with the fact that to be a nurse you have to care - and does a real man care..... :chuckle

Cheers - and look on the light side

Peter

allmons · Mar 4, 2005

If it matters, briefs.

:rotfl:

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 6, 2005

1. I wear tightie whities for the reason you mention, don't want too much jiggle, with all the running around I do. But it's a personal choice I suppose. I wear boxers to bed and casually.

2. Is there really a perception out there that males nurses are gay? I'm gay and very out of the closet, so I guess I don't get much of that perception, because in my case it's true. But I think as time goes along that is changing. I wish there were more gay male nurses actually, so I'd have some peers. I would say where I work 1 in 10 male nurses are gay. I feel like the oddball because I'm the only gay nurse on my unit, including the CNAs. Many of the admired qualities of nursing are considered feminine traits and not "macho", so I guess that helps to persist the myth. It's just something that male nurses have to overcome, and over time it seems to have diminished, but that's just my perception.

reevescw · Mar 7, 2005

Try a pair of scrubs that are the next size larger dude... and are you saying you don't wear underwear? Commando is not appropriate under scrubs.

In my hospital, none of the male nurses are gay... married with children mostly.

Is this a joke post?

Alright Gentlemen, I'm just gonna be open, and please answer HONESTLY!
1. Do you have to wear, briefs, boxer briefs, or anything tight fitting in order to 'minimize jiggle and bounce'? I DO, otherwise in those scrubs I'm just jigglin' a little too much!
2. Why is it the stereotype that male nurses are all gay? Any Ideas? Know any stats? Please Inform.
Thanks A Lot Gentlemen!

nursemike, ASN, RN · Mar 10, 2005

I have to wear whites for school, so it's white boxers for me. If I were being seen without pants, I'd rather be seen in boxers, and in whites I practically am.

But I'm learning to like the extra ventilation, even in street clothes.

As far as the sexuality, I think perceptions have changed a good deal, but a lot of lay people, and some nurses, do see nursing as an essentially "feminine" role. There may be a tiny bit of truth in that, but I think it's really negligible. I mean, my tomcat is as macho as they come, but he loves to groom kittens. (He's neutered, now, but he was like that, even before, when his testicles were as big as his brain.)

I've often wondered if some professions are more attractive to gays, of if perhaps some fields are simply more tolerant, so that gays among them feel more free to be open. I do recall hearing that insurance companies had lists of gay professions, and charged higher rates to those in those fields, when the AIDS outbreak was in its early days. One such field was dog grooming. Really? Dog grooming?

In the end, I guess I figure people will think what they think, regardless. I do know some gay male nurses, and some straight ones. They all seem pretty happy being what they are, and that's good enough.

bugsyrodrn · Mar 18, 2005

well alrighty then... noday... if "jiggling" is an issue with you, then Smokey, only you can prevent forest fires! :chuckle Either get bigger scrubs or wear tighter underwar, be it tight-whiteys, or boxer briefs, of what have you! Jiggling for either gender isn't appropriate -- i certainly haven't seen any of the female nurses I work with going braless and wondering whether they should wear anything up top to "minimize their jiggle".. and i'm not even addressing the stereotype/gay thing... perception is just that--personal -- all the guys I work with are married with kids

tankity · Mar 19, 2005

1) well, at home, i'm a boxer guy- but boxers don't cut it under scrubs. i tried briefs, but hate them. now i wear boxer-briefs under my scrubs. it took a while to get used to- there's much less "movement" with them on. you still need to "adjust" with them on, but not as much as with the briefs. i have to agree with reevescw, boxers and tight scrubs don't match. go big, or go brief.

2) one of thunderwolf's posts addresses the stereotype issue in detail. in summation: many people regard nursing as a "feminine" role, (nurturing, compassion, etc.) and they feel that a male would naturally choose a "masculine" occupation, unless he, himself was feminine. it's just another thing that we, as male nurses, face and have to accept as part of the job- gay or straight. some guys i work with wear rings, so patients won't ask if they're gay. i have pictures of my kids taped to the back of my badge. it makes no difference- people will believe what they want. for example, here's a conversation i had with an elderly patient not long ago:

"hello, doctor. " stereotype

"no, ma'am- i'm your nurse. "

"you're one of those 'male nurses', aren't you. " stereotype

"um, yes. "

"are you gay? " stereotype

"no, i'm married with four children. "

"oh, so you're catholic. " stereotype

"no, i reeeeeealy like being with my wife. "

*silence*

bottom line:

good care can come from a nurse of any age, race, sex creed, sexual orientation, or level of education. so can bad care. therefore, stereotyping your nurse won't predict the care you are about to receive.

Heartman · Mar 20, 2005

Nurse since '81

Never thought about it.

Walter

nursetim, NP · Mar 29, 2005

I prefer boxer briefs.

yo

In Thailand (where my wife is from) all male nurses are gay until proven otherwise. As long as my wife knows, I could care less what the perception is. That and as long as you deliver quality care, it's no one's concern which way you swing.