Won't Let 2 Females Work Together On Ambulance

[Eydawn]

In a perfect world, you would have one physical ability test, and if you pass- male, female, midget or alien- you get the job. If not- sorry- find another line of work.

\\\ I relinquish my soap box, and let the flames begin.

Do *not* use the word midget to refer to a little person. You wouldn't call a dark skinned person a nigger- don't call a little person a midget. It is viewed the same way by little people as the aforementioned is viewed. It is a term of circus origin.

Little person or dwarf is acceptable.

Sorry, that one just pushes my buttons, and I try to educate as often as I possibly can...

Wendy

CO EMT-B

As far as the original topic goes, I wholeheartedly agree that it is discrimination. Now, if it were phrased as employer PREFERENCE and given good reasons to back it up, it would be more acceptable.

I have to say, the mixed gender crews that have come to pick up my patients lately have seemed more balanced and have provided better care than the single gender crews of EITHER gender. I will say that I far prefer to work with men than women, because that's just how my psyche likes to work... I don't play chick politics well in small confined spaces.

Should it matter what gender you are? Nah. In practice, does it sometimes? You bet. What do you do, lament the world? Nah. Work around and through whatever the issue is as professionally as you can, and move on.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[Richard B the EMT]

So if a female conducts the procedure it is an exam but if it is a male, it is "another violation"? Interesting word choices...

I believe the wording could be towards the rape victim's perceivement of such exam.

[Bieber]

"Let"?

was my freedom in a man's hand, who kindly obliged to give it to me?

also, we're women (that's to specify that we're "Females" of human classification).

Okay, I don't disagree that there are some wrongs being committed by this guy, but you're twisting the issue into something else. The title of this thread wasn't to imply that women's freedom could only be granted by man, only to imply that the manager of an EMS service (who does, in fact, have the power to permit or deny certain things within his service) was not allowing two women to work together. And while that guy may be something of a male chauvinist or even downright sexist, the fundamental question of the equality of women and men was not questioned by anyone but you. Furthermore, this particular manager may not inherently be sexist so much as misinformed, misguided, or acting based on any other multitude of inherently harmless beliefs that resulted in not so harmless behaviors. Trying to ascribe any sort of mentality to this guy based on what we know would be a folly.

So please, don't turn this into a philosophical debate about the equality of the sexes. I don't know anyone here who wouldn't agree that men and women are equal. And we don't know what this guy's personal views are, only his actions and his reported reasoning. Is it wrong? Yeah. Does that make him a sexist or a misguided soul? Who knows. His actions are sexist, he may not be. People are not infallible, and infallibility doesn't make someone inherently evil.

[EMS49393]

I'm not reading this entire thread, but I am tossing in my opinion, for what it's worth, which isn't much.

I'm female, and I generally HATE working with other women. Women make me crazy with their incessant chatter about their boyfriends and baby daddies and whatnot. I do not like the gossip, I do not like the catty crap, and if I don't feel like talking, I shouldn't have to talk. I've had several female partners through the years and of them, I could only stand one. Ironically, she was a lesbian and more masculine then most men I know. I hardly have any female friends. I'm just not designed "girly." I have always gotten along better with men then women so I prefer to work with them.

From a psychological standpoint, I feel double female crews are dangerous. Not because they can't lift, because a lot of them can, and not because they can't do the job, because most of them do, but because a female is a bigger target then a male. Imagine you're some seedy dude up to no good wandering the streets at night looking for a victim. You see an ambulance parked on a street corner, which is not unusual in a third service or public utility model, and you know you have your target in sight. Once you walk around to the side you see a man and a woman, or a man and a man, will you walk away and look for something easier? Very likely. Same ambulance, this time with two women. All you can see is "easy target" because there is a natural assumption that women are the weaker sex and can be over-taken with little effort. It's not sexist, it's about safety. A douche of a creepy man looking for a target is much more likely to choose an all female target then a combination or all male target.

Be a woman and hear you roar. No one is more pro women's rights then I am, but I'm also pro staying alive, and if that means I have to take into consideration that some scumsucker is likely to target me at work because I have a female partner versus a male partner, then I'll take safety over my rights.

[Bieber]

Correction to the end of my last post, it should read, "and fallibility doesn't make someone inherently evil".

I blame my bronchitis.

[Richard B the EMT]

A long time ago, I was partnered with a woman, on an IFT and private call service ambulance. This was my first time with this particular woman, whom all the other EMTs and non EMT Ambulette drivers seemed to like a lot (we sometimes ran the 'lette drivers on the ambulances, with the EMT in the back with the patients, of course).

Our call was in a bad part of town, in a building that seemed to say, next mugging in 5 minutes. I freely admit I am no fighter, so I was wondering if someone approached us with evil on their minds, how I would protect her (old school thinking, perhaps, this was sometime in the 1977-1980 time frame).

Suddenly, in seeming defiance of my prayers, I heard the unmistakable "snic" of a lock-back knife blade going into work mode. Initially, I froze up, but then I slowly turned around, to find my partner that I wouldn't know how to protect, sticking the biggest open Buck Knife I recall seeing, into her equipment holster.

I was going to protect her?

[HERBIE1]

Do *not* use the word midget to refer to a little person. You wouldn't call a dark skinned person a nigger- don't call a little person a midget. It is viewed the same way by little people as the aforementioned is viewed. It is a term of circus origin.

Little person or dwarf is acceptable.

Sorry, that one just pushes my buttons, and I try to educate as often as I possibly can...

Wendy

CO EMT-B

As far as the original topic goes, I wholeheartedly agree that it is discrimination. Now, if it were phrased as employer PREFERENCE and given good reasons to back it up, it would be more acceptable.

I have to say, the mixed gender crews that have come to pick up my patients lately have seemed more balanced and have provided better care than the single gender crews of EITHER gender. I will say that I far prefer to work with men than women, because that's just how my psyche likes to work... I don't play chick politics well in small confined spaces.

Should it matter what gender you are? Nah. In practice, does it sometimes? You bet. What do you do, lament the world? Nah. Work around and through whatever the issue is as professionally as you can, and move on.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

Point taken- I apologize.

No offense intended, but my point remains.

[Eydawn]

None taken your point is absolutely valid hence why I just challenged the epithet. You are smart as always!!

[crotchitymedic1986]

I'm not reading this entire thread, but I am tossing in my opinion, for what it's worth, which isn't much.

I'm female, and I generally HATE working with other women. Women make me crazy with their incessant chatter about their boyfriends and baby daddies and whatnot. I do not like the gossip, I do not like the catty crap, and if I don't feel like talking, I shouldn't have to talk. I've had several female partners through the years and of them, I could only stand one. Ironically, she was a lesbian and more masculine then most men I know. I hardly have any female friends. I'm just not designed "girly." I have always gotten along better with men then women so I prefer to work with them.

From a psychological standpoint, I feel double female crews are dangerous. Not because they can't lift, because a lot of them can, and not because they can't do the job, because most of them do, but because a female is a bigger target then a male. Imagine you're some seedy dude up to no good wandering the streets at night looking for a victim. You see an ambulance parked on a street corner, which is not unusual in a third service or public utility model, and you know you have your target in sight. Once you walk around to the side you see a man and a woman, or a man and a man, will you walk away and look for something easier? Very likely. Same ambulance, this time with two women. All you can see is "easy target" because there is a natural assumption that women are the weaker sex and can be over-taken with little effort. It's not sexist, it's about safety. A douche of a creepy man looking for a target is much more likely to choose an all female target then a combination or all male target.

Be a woman and hear you roar. No one is more pro women's rights then I am, but I'm also pro staying alive, and if that means I have to take into consideration that some scumsucker is likely to target me at work because I have a female partner versus a male partner, then I'll take safety over my rights.

WOW, Helen Reddy is rolling over in her grave !!!!!

[EMS49393]

WOW, Helen Reddy is rolling over in her grave !!!!!

I'm not a big fan of feminists either. I think they do more harm then good for women's rights. There is a tactful way to approach and issue and attempt to get your point across. I liken feminists to the Malcolm X's and Louis Farrakhan of the civil rights movement. You're going to win more people over by appealing to the greater good of all people, not just "your people."

And before you start all that "you're a racist" crap with me crotch, I happen to be a huge fan of Dr. King, which probably explains why I'm not a fan of Malcolm X. Two different people, two vastly different approaches.

Criminal men find women and easy target. Stop thinking like a strong woman and think like a psychopathic man, who would you target? Bubba or Barbie?