Wednesday, May 2, 2018

PS Gender Wage Gap With Nurses



When I read the full salary database study by Journal of  the American Medical Association on gender wage gap in nursing - that though 9/10 nurses were still female, but male nurses made at least $5,000 more per year (often much more) - I immediately thought of my great aunt, a World War II Army Nurse in the pacific theater. 

 In fact, she suffered from malaria and PTSD from the experience - which just like the men, she never spoke about.

Though not on the front lines, their medical tents were targets and in as much danger as anyone else in camps - unarmed - which means they couldn't defend themselves from threats - both domestic and foreign (if you know what I mean). 

(THAT is bravery, too, to me.)






 (My mother has a picture of her in her Army uniform on display in her living room, which has never been scanned, so unfortunately I don't have one for you. However, the  uniform she is wearing in the picture was nearly identical to the one in the poster above. )

She also had the really cool uniform with the cape, which she'd put on sometimes to amuse her grandnieces - she was our Super Aunt! :) 




My parents are only children, so I had no aunts and uncles other than my great uncles and aunts - and she was the only educated, military, and well-traveled aunt - she really WAS my Super Aunt :)

Whereas her sister, my grandmother, was very compassionate, but wouldn't stand up for anything to save her life (she was the baby of the family), Aunt 'Lizbeth was both tough and tender, and highly intelligent - she insisted we read Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters at 5 years old.  

(Yes, all three of us girls could read by age 5 - but at that age, we did her need help reading Austen and the Bronte sisters of course ;)

She brought us little demitasse Occupied Japan teacups (which my little sister accidentally broke as a child - whups).

This which is why I still love demitasse or miniature child tea sets to this day, particularly vintage Noritake or Nippon lusterware, Art Nouveau style :)



Or just 1920s Art Nouveau/Deco vintage Noritake (pre corporate years) ...




And she had a great laugh I can still hear, when I think about her :)

Then I thought of all the women like these during the Civil War, who nursed the wounds, held the hands and sang to the soldiers as their limbs were being crudely sawed off, when ether was a rare commodity - AS VOLUNTEERS - done  solely out of patriotic duty and the realization that anything they experienced paled in comparison to the soldiers.



This is shameful, America, for ignoring the history of this profession and slapping these educated, brave, noble and compassionate women in the face.

Because it was women who began this profession, which originally was done for no pay - as volunteers.  

It was women who were the original mercy angels.

They cleaned the worst wounds, soothed the pain, advocated for the patients with doctors, and held the hands of American soldiers as they took their last breath.

I'm not saying that men can't be just as merciful and wonderful nurses - I just don't understand why when only 1 in 10 nurses are men - in the nursing field less than 25 years - are paid more.

It's a disgrace, America :(

My aunt's name was Mary-Elizabeth Mann AKA "Aunt 'Lizbeth" - and I won't let you devalue or minimize the work she did and forget her, America :/

Thank you, Aunt 'Lizbeth, for what you did for our country and for all the men you cared for.  I'm sorry your brave and compassionate work - that caring for men and children - still has so little value, almost 80 years later :(

Love,

~ Chrystal Smith Chaplow

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