Ink, Yarn & Beer

Okay, a bit of a rant, but a timely one as well.

In the news, women are losing rights in all directions, especially in health care choices.  Now, women in power who are being told to shut up, or sneered at by men, or talked over by men, or being “mansplained” to, are making the news.  We have Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren being interrupted or censured by members of the Congress for talking too much.  Harris was labeled “hysterical” while a male counterpart was not, even though both were asking serious questions by someone on the news.  Veronicka Hubeny was mansplaned by Jim Holt until he was finally interrupted by a woman, Marilee Talkington, spoke up out of the audience, “Let her speak!”

Women are to be seen and not heard, as we are not very important.

I guess.

Two months ago, one of our dogs was having issues with an ear and a hotspot.  We went to our normal vet.  While we have gotten good treatment there, I have honestly never liked any of the male vets there.  The one woman vet left shortly after she got there, ostensibly for a move, but I wonder now if she left because of the testosterone.  She was great.  Why?  She explained, she talked, and she took time.  However, when with all the male vets, I am loomed over and interrupted.  This last one made it obvious he really couldn’t give a rat’s ass about any of my concerns.  Finally, he failed to address the initial reason I brought our dog in after the ear was cleared up.  He was some tall, thin guy, standing over me, and, talking through me, interrupting my questions and explaining.

Gosh, I am so stupid!  I am lucky I can put one foot in front of the other without toppling over!

I sat there, pretty pissed, but keeping my nasty mouth shut.  My thoughts, as I listened to the expert, were he just was going to ignore the problem until it got so bad we came back, and he could make more money.

And things did get worse.  And worse.  And then better for a bit.  And finally bad enough we made the choice of finding a new vet.  Just by chance, we chose a practice closer to our home, and where all the vets are women.

We went, we were listened to, we had things explained to us about current treatment, and what may be necessary in the future if our dog has serious allergy problems.

Our questions were answered.

We were treated with respect.

We were assumed to be intelligent.

Our dog was not just a cash machine to pay for the Maserati.

What men, and many doctors and other professionals fail to realize is that anyone I go to is MY EMPLOYEE.  I am hiring them for their expertise.  Got it?  You can be fired.  My money will go elsewhere, and while I doubt you will miss me, trust me, I won’t miss you and your attitude.