The bedroom or the classroom?
Online posting: Oct. 30, 1996
Published in print: Dec. 15, 1996 (CMAJ 1996;155:1664)
Re: Fear of ostracism still silences some gay MDs, students, by
Nancy Robb, CMAJ 1996;155:972-7 [full text / en bref]
In Nancy Robb's article on gay and lesbian issues and their
relation to medical students there was a lot written about
discrimination against gays and lesbians. There also appeared to
be a demand for role models for this group of people in medical
schools. It was suggested that their issues should be part of the
medical curriculum. The article did not give any estimate of the
percentage of students in medical schools who are gay or lesbian.
Students and residents in medical schools are often
discriminated on the basis of their ethnic background or physical
appearance (including obesity). Does that mean that this group of
people need role models in medical school? Do we have the luxury
of dealing with ethnic issues in the undergraduate medical
curriculum?
Sexual orientation should be restricted to the bedroom and not
brought into the classroom. Society at large is becoming more
tolerant and accepting of gays and lesbians.
Jaywant Patil, MB, BS, FRCPC
Dalhousie University
Halifax, NS
doc@is.dal.ca
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