While at work today, I overheard a little bit of water cooler chitchat. Most of it was harmless, but one conversation caught my attention.
I heard one person mention that she found out her doctor was a lesbian. The man, who seemed shocked, then replied "I would never go to a homosexual doctor."
I was floored. Although I am not a homosexual myself, I know and love many people who are, and this man's phobia totally shocked me. I had to listen in for more.
The man proceeded to make two points:
First, he clarified and said he wouldn't feel comfortable having a homosexual doctor who was a man, but wouldn't mind a lesbian doctor. He explained that he would constantly think that the doctor would be "checking out his stuff" for other reasons than to "turn and cough."
Secondly, he said that he would be afraid of catching "ya know, gay diseases."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I thought, are we still living in the time when people think they can catch AIDs by touching a victim? Are people still really that naiive?
Then it hit me - yes. Yes, people really are that naiive.
The man continued to defend himself to his female (and pro-gay doctor) co-worker by saying that he didn't care if the man was the best in the field becaus he would be too paranoid about being examined by a man who was also into men. He wouldn't care if this homosexual doctor had a PhD from Yale University, because he'd be too afraid of contracting a disease.
Although I completely disagree with this man's unrational thoughts, I have to agree with him when he said that he was "too concerned with his health to jeopardize it even more." The fact that people are overly concerned with their health sometimes is true - so much, in fact, that one man (and I'm sure many others) would be too uncomfortable with having a gay doctor.
What do you think? Does it matter to you if your doctor is gay or straight? Does your doctors sexual orientation influence how you approach your own health examinations?
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Comments (434)
I don't like doctors, gay or straight. It's not that I don't respect them and what they do, but I hate having to go to a hospital.
I GOT MY VAGINA EXAMINED AT PLANNED PARENTHOOD BY A BUTCHED LESBIAN I DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT AND BESIDES I WAS BORN IN THE LAND OF GAYS... SAN FRANCISCO! BUT I AM STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW! I HATE IGNORANCE AND I'M OVER THE WHOLE HOMOSEXUAL HATRED... THEIR HUMAN THEY LOVE WHO THEY WANT IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOUR ASS SO GO READ A BOOK!
people disappoint me.
No. It won't matter. Genders aren't relevant. My health is.
That guy really thinks that the doctor is checking out his junk? Does he realize that women go to male gynecologists all the time? Not only is that guy ignorant, but he's also got an ego that needs to be knocked down several notches. What an idiot.
I don't think it matters.
haha the guy seems conceited. He should feel flattered that even one of the same sex would want to "check out his junk".
Just kidding. To answer your question, I really don't care, as long as they do their stuff right. Gay people are not contaminated, they're regular people, plus I would love to have a gay doctor. Maybe they are better than the super rude doctor i have now.
It's not writen on the professional head that the doctor is gay. In fact, i think that if the man at the begining of your story will dye, and that a gay doctor could make him living, he would change his mind.
In some situations, I might be MORE comfortable if my doctor were gay... A homosexual male gynecologist? I'm in. I don't ask about my doctor's sexual orientation, it doesn't matter to me.
I don't like doctors in general, so it doesn't really matter who they are. I've had a male doctor in the past (he was just an awkward person in general, though, which is why I have a different doctor now), and I would get a male doctor again if I had to. So it doesn't really matter if I have a lesbian woman as my doctor. I don't really care who my doctor is as long as he/she knows what he/she is doing.
I wouldn't care. He's probably too afraid he'd like it. I'm not just saying that to be a dick, but usually the biggest homophobes are the biggest homos. It probably would scare the shit out of him if a gay doctor was "checking out his stuff," because honestly, he'd probably like it. Admitting you're a homo is a scary deal.
@Begierde@lovelyish - Actually, you'd be surprised how many people would, in fact, rather die than change how they see things.
defiinitely not. i have a male doctor who is straight. that mean he could be "checking me out" but i don't think so because he's a professional. so then why would this gay doctor automatically be checking out his male patients? this man really annoys me. if i had a lesbian doctor, it would be the same as having a straight male doctor. grr, and the fact that he said his main concern was his HEALTH?! that really burns me up.
People never seize to make me sick.
that's pretty funny. i can understand his first concern, however.
and don't you mean an M.D. from Yale.
wtf?! really?! it hard to believe that people are still that ignorant and/or naive. seriously, why would someone's sexuality have anything to do with the way they perform their job?! if you want the best health care out there, then people need to quit being so closed-minded.
ugh.
@LoveKissKill@xanga - Yeah, in fact I think you're right. Sadly...
Everyone should have a hot transsexual doctor!
If I knew the doctor well, it wouldn't matter. But I would honestly be uncomfortable going to a doctor I didn't know and getting a gynecological exam the first time I met him/her, whatever their sexual orientation is. I just don't trust people I just met that much.
Well, I get what he says when he doesn't want a gay doctor "checking him out." That's not exactly the most sensitive way to phrase it, but I would feel wary if a male doctor (gay or not) was examining me. I'm always more comfortable with female doctors.
I had to get a partial physical to get cleared to play a sport at my school, and when I found out the doctor was a guy, I freaked out a little. Even when he started rubbing my back and feeling around my abdomen, it felt weird.
It sounds like this guy is blindly believing a stereotype. Also, he is a complete moron for voicing his beliefs at work of all places.
I wouldnt care if my doctor was homosexual.
How would you KNOW your doctor was gay, is my question!!!
No, it doesn't matter.
I laughed at the "gay diseases" part. That's ridiculous.
Before there were a lot of female doctors, women went to male doctors and had to wonder the exact same thing. I wonder if he's thought of that?
And how would he feel about going to a straight female doctor?
and he's supposedly a grown man? wow -__-"