Louise

In my workplace, an all female mental health residential unit. Most of my colleagues were so ignorant and un-pc that when a I met a member of staff who seemed more enlightened they really stood out in comparison. This happened with a male mental health nurse in his ealrly twenties. He was newly married and spoke affectionately about his wife. He had travelled and seemed open-minded. This nurse seemed very inclusive of junior unqualified staff when planning the shift. He actually seemed to listen to everyone and take all views on board in his decision-making. It seemed so refreshing. Sadly all my illusions came crashing down one day at the end of a slightly stressful shift. He was in the office with me and a woman colleague (a MISSsogynist as in a man apologist) so he knew he had one person onside. He starts on this massive rant about the clients saying they’ve all been unbearable today and how they gossip about one another and they do this they do that….and he ends it with “it’s women they’re all terrible, they’re all vile. If it was all men in here it’d be wonderful to work here”. And he wasn’t jokin. The other colleague says “yes i know i love working with men, women are too much trouble”. I could not believe my ears. The amount of times i’ve heard both female and male staff praise male clients and how much ‘easier’ they are to work with astounds me. On previous occasions i have defended wonen saying stuff like I love women they’re ace and been looked at like i’m an alien. I wanted to shut my colleagues down on this occasion I wanted to say. .”Yeah male clients say nothing for 3 years then you find them hung in their bedroom or they hit another client with a chair so brutally that they end up hospitalised or they sexually assault another client or member of staff yep they are so easy.” But i just said nothing and left my job the following week cos all hope for change had evaporated.