It is the month for remembrance related to women (International Women's Day), but have women really come that far in healthcare? I seem to be hearing more misogynistic comments than ever, and the worst, by far, is someone telling me to "calm down" when I am voicing an animated opinion.
To be succinct, I hate it.
Am I the only who believes this exhortation is incredibly insulting — a carryover from the days of cocktails, cigarettes, and Mad Men ruling the universe? Is my passion for nursing offensive, my enthusiasm for a project irritating, or is it that nursing is primarily a woman's field and men have yet to accept us into the fold? You tell me. For years I have put my time in, paid my dues, documented appropriately, and occasionally offered highly intelligent opinions. Yet I have still been asked to deliver coffee (truth).
Do not take this post as offensive. I always work collaboratively with male MDs and have throughout my career, but I believe female nurses have yet to find their voice. I choose to be myself. I am not "calm"; I was born with zest. Therefore, I hate to hear the C-word at work.
Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines "calm" as: freedom from agitation, excitement, disturbance.
