<If I were hemorrhaging vaginally for any reason, would I care that the
best
qualified person to help me then and there, had a penis under his
clothes?
Unless he planned somehow to use it to 'treat' my medical problem, I
would
not.
When I am choosing a health care practitioner, gender is not high up on
my
list of qualifiers.  I know men who are fine midwives, and I know plenty
of
ghastly midwives who have ovaries, uteri, and mammae.  The same goes for
doctors.>

Rachel, you are TOO MUCH! (not shouting, laughing!)

I am reminded by this discussion of an incident over a quarter of a
century ago in a meeting of the professional advisory board of a local
childbirth education association.

One of the (male) obstetricians made the statement that on rounds, a
(female) nurse had remarked that there must be something odd (or perhaps
he used the word "queer") about me because I handled the breasts of so
many mothers.

I was of course shocked, and speechless for the moment, because I thought
of myself as helping these mother learn to hand express, soften areolas,
massage breasts, etc. etc.

A half hour later, it dawned on me that I had missed my golden
opportunity when I had failed to respond to him: "And what, pray tell,
did she say about what YOU do with YOUR hands for hours every day?"

Jean
****************
K. Jean Cotterman RNC, IBCLC
Dayton, Ohio USA (looking forward to the chance to listen to Peter
Hartmann speak for hours, later today, and Saturday in Columbus at the
annual Ohio Breastfest!)

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