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Anyyywaaayy.
Interesting question. Think that alot of what comes out of that extract is about the way patients position and imagine doctors and vice versa.
In a transaction between doctor and patient there are all sorts of assumptions/power relations going on.
Not only in the Doctor>>>patient, direction either.
Like ST, I've often(in the past, mainly) felt deferent in encounters with doctors, and also often found it hard to visualise them as human beings. (rather like the childish thing where you presume yr teachers are packed away in boxes when not in school. and there you go, I'm already talking in terms of a Child/Adult relations)
It'd seem impertinent to want to know about their sexual orientation. As with many* professions, it'd seem irrelevant, but with an added dash of being under authority.
However there are areas in which a notion(however spurious this might be) of a 'shared' space of sexuality would and has been something I've sought, or would like to have had access to.
This mainly in relation to sexual health issues, where I've felt a 'queer' practioner would be more on my wavelength, and occasionally in mental health scenarios.
Having said that, with mental health, especially, it's been much more important to me to have a *good*/useful doctor. (and here I'm talking GPs, as I've had very little contact with pyschiatric specialists, whether that be doctors/nurses/other CMHT profs)
Nesh, my hunch is that this is much more of an issue in psychiatry than in many other specialisms? Aside perhaps, from GPs, as these are the two main areas in which personality/the state of the doctor/patient *relationship* has the most effect on the efficacy of treatment?
Another question: do you think that the orientation question has specific ramifications for doctors, as opposed to nurses, assistants, other healthcare profs?
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Hmm. on the other side of the fence, in my mental health 'work' I present as 'me' as far as possible. I don't neccessarily go into work festooned in rainbow bling but neither do I try to act 'straighter'. But then, I'm *not* a dyke, so may have male partners/'stories' to tell.
But, perhaps more significantly, am in an environment where it's policy to reveal as little as possible about ourselves, and can/will point to that policy if neccessary.
I think it's reasonably apparent that I'm queer**, and it's not been an issue in 3 years of work. But then, also we work in teams, and if someone doesn't want to talk to me, they'll have at least two other options.
Also, given the smallness of my town, when we've had queer users, we've often recognised each other, which is more problematic, in terms of boundaries/confidentiality. Again, on both sides.
Hmm. don't know if that's useful or not. Will have a think, and come back.
*on the other hand, there are several other areas that spring to mind, where I might actively seek queer professionals. Certain aspects of legal advice, for example.
** but on the other hand, maybe that's only if you know what yr looking for? I really don't know on this one. |
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