Batvixen I disagree with your post at 1314 in several ways. Men and women are NOT the same, we live in a fundamentally unbalanced world plus biological differences affect several social differences.
Equality is not everyone being treated exactly the same. Logic has to be applied. Men are biologically physically stronger generally speaking which makes certain tasks easier for them, that's undeniable. It depends on the examples considered. I personally think that there's no reason why women can't serve on the frontline now because technology advances means that physical strength is no longer much of a factor here. Both sexes are cognitively capable of understanding the same concepts and ideas in the world generally.
But there are some areas of life that only the members of whichever sex can understand on a deep level. A woman can never really understand what it feels like to literally be kicked in the balls, we can sympathise with it being painful and distressing and embarrassing but we can never know how it feels. A man can never really understand how it feels to have a period or give birth or be thumped in the tits. Again they can sympathise with the distress or pain they witness but they cannot know how it actually feels.
They also cannot understand how it feels to live in a world where their sex disadvantages them in almost every arena, where they're constantly having to defend and argue for this not to be the case. They can sympathise and be supportive of women addressing that but they don't live it.
"Another thing I’m concerned about is the fact that women need to explain themselves when it comes to things like this." That's gradually improving. I remember sometimes being asked why in the past but in recent years either GP surgery or local hospital and they haven't they've just accepted and made arrangements
I'm an ex nurse myself, been almost 15 years since I last practiced but certainly my experience differs from decomposing's as male patients then in the places I worked if they requested a male hcp that was facilitated where possible. Was a bit more difficult in the nursing homes I worked in as it does tend to be mainly if not exclusively women carers in them, very hard to recruit male hcps in those roles.
"I've also a friend who used to work in a care home for the elderly. She said the men would get erections while she was washing them. Eugh." This is an involuntary physiological response and isn't necessarily related to sexual attraction to the person caring for them. Often patient are embarrassed by this.
It's a mistake to assume any poster is male or female. I've seen excellent posts supportive of women's rights by posters who either on the thread or I've seen them elsewhere post that they're male and I've seen appallingly misogynistic posts by posters who claim to be female. The truth is
A you don't know posters are being truthful about their sex (I certainly have my suspicions about a few)
B even if they are, men can be allies on women's rights and women can be raging misogynists - I've seen this in real life as well as online where I don't know people's sex for definite.
However, I do think posting on threads in such a way as to not contribute to the discussion just criticise the mere existence of the discussion or how it's been framed. It's mansplaining bollocks and doesn't further any debate so it's pointless.
But yes I do think the reasons for men responding on a thread like this tend usually to at best misguided and at worst deliberately intended to derail/hijack the discussion, certain types of men cannot bear us having discussions that are in any way particular to the experience of being a woman or could at all be perceived as being critical of even some men!
"For something mental health I prefer a senior as opposed to a locum regardless of sex." Absolutely your choice but you seem to misunderstand what a locum is. They're not necessarily less qualified/experienced locum simply means temporarily employed. Drs choose to be locums for lots of reasons. Personally I've had better experiences with locums than GP's mainly because they don't base treatment decisions on the financial considerations (incentives and disincentives, bonuses) that are in place in how GP surgeries are run whereas permanent GP's are usually partners in the surgery (they're essentially run as private companies who subcontract to the Nhs) or at least their employment is dependent on them following rules within their practice based on these factors and others.
"there are still some that have taken advantage of their position and would still try to do so." Some? Do a google on the subject - tons of hits and most of them have lots of victims
YourSarcasmisDripping I'm sorry that happened to you, absolutely not appropriate or necessary I would say that constitutes an assault.
"I honestly think we should be able to request a different HCP for almost any reason, and all are as valid as each other." Excellently put.