Member-only story
The Patriarchy is Alive and Well in the World of Healthcare
A few of the most sexist things I’ve dealt with working as a female physiotherapist in private practice.
Recently, an author friend of mine sent out a survey. She’s working on a possible novel idea, and decided to poll the women in her life. To see if any of us had been subjected to sexual harassment in the workplace. The questions in her survey were about employers, and although I’ve been fortunate enough to never have experienced harassment by any employer, it was a completely different story when it came to my patients.
I was discussing this with my twenty-four-year-old daughter this evening. She read this article, cried a little, and gave me a hug. We talked about how sad it was that when I was harassed at her age, I didn’t make that big of a fuss. I just dealt with the issue and went on my way. Because that’s just how we handled things back then.
As I grew older and wiser, I found the courage to speak up. But even though I reported a few of these men, there were few negative repercussions for their behavior.
Thank goodness change is in the air. We are raising an entire generation of young women who are not afraid to speak up, and who demand respect and consequences for those who don’t give it.
