Tuesday 16 February 2016

Say what??

Do you recall my post on the backhanded compliments?

They were nothing compared to the sexism that was levelled at me at Sass's netball recently.

A mum was talking about the 'flu virus and some terrible strain that's been striking people down overseas.

I mentioned that I'd heard on the radio just a day or so earlier, that scientists had discovered that all strains of 'flu have a common 'patch' on their surface that can be targeted as an entry point to kill it. Tests have been run on mice with hugely successful outcomes, far superior in both preventing the disease compared to other vaccines and in treating it compared to Tamiflu.

'Are you a nurse?' she asked, looking and sounding immensely surprised.

Now, no offence to nurses; they are some of the most amazing and supportive people I've ever met - but I was so shocked and actually said, aloud:

'Maybe I'm a doctor.'

She didn't get it.

'Oh, are you?' she ask.
'No. I work in advertising,' I said, with no hint of apology.

She still didn't get it and the conversation moved along.

But why couldn't I have been a doctor? And why couldn't I just have a passing interest in such discoveries without being a health care professional? The mind boggles.



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