learning about other cultures with respect

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   I had posted this  on the BlackHairmedia board, and it was deleted by the moderator.  I think they are worried about being "politically correct" knowing other cultures are on the board... 

I believe this should be posted, so that other cultures will learn from this experience. I have learned moving "higher up" in the medical field that ignorance is bliss.  I am really running into a lot of this with caucasion and hispanic type clientele (patients and staff).  And as long as they "stay around their own kind", they don't feel it is necessary to learn about other cultures..

I work as an intern in the field of ultrasound.  Ultrasound folks are the "prima donnas" of radiology..it's a highly skilled field. My rotation was at a hospital here in San Jose, for 6 weeks.

One  caucasion sonographer was well known for "working alone"..he's great in the field, but has a tendency to get "fixated" on things.  First he complained about my mistakes (i AM a student), then my muscularity - which i kept hidden under my lab jacket, then my smell.

He told me i wore a strong perfume, then complained to the superivsor and other staff - who didn't smell anything. i don't wear perfume.   Then he complained that it was my body wash, we found this was not true, then he said it was my lab jacket..No one smelled anything.

after a week of complaining about my "smell", he began waving his arms in the air whenever i came around him and yelled "Whew, my gawd!" then he began doing it around all of the staff members. and complaining that i should go home and use unscented soap..i did...No one else would say anything to him about it, they just blew him off. One staff member says, "Sometimes she eats peppermint candy, but it's not worth getting all bent out of shape over, i don't smell anything".

Then i figured it out..He did his arm-waving thing and yelling - right in front of the supervisor and several other staff members.  I turned and looked at him and called him on it. "I found out what the source of your problem is.  Those of us of different cultures who have a different grade of hair, need to moisturize it, usually, every day.  Plus, i use rosemary/peppermint to grow  my sides after they were burnt off from using too much heat. that's probably what you're smelling" I pulled back my hair to show the very short 1/2 bald sides compared to the rest of my shoulde length hair. Every one looked at him. 

He just said "Well, do they make it unscented?" I looked at him and said "No, it's very natural, no one is having a problem, only you. This country IS a melting pot." and walked off.

He later realized he screwed up..and never even bothered to apologize about his actions.  But he took on the job of teaching me for the last day of my rotation. (whoop dee doo).  i kept my professional distance. and was mildly amused, that he worked very closely, sat close, but he never once flinched, or moved away as exaggeratedly as he had done when he was still fixated on my "smell."

Moderators please do not delete this message.

Edited by femmemuscle - July 29 2007 at 3:15pm