Kids
I started talking to one of them last week as we were coming out of the subway station. Out on the street, in a large group of harried med students he asked "Do you live alone?" and without hesitation I said "No, I live with my partner."
He made a sour face. It was subtle yet unmistakable. I was surprised because I'd said it so many times since school started and no one had reacted poorly. He regained his composure quickly, stammered for a second and then we were back on track. But I was bothered by it, and immediately began to wonder about his. sexuality. He professes to be straight..
He might be. But he's definitely also homophobic. He told a mutual friend that he thought it was "weird" that I said what I did when he "didn't ask." She asked him what I was supposed to say in response to "Do you live alone?" He didn't have an answer for that.
The conventional wisdom is that extreme homophobes are closet cases. That might be true in this case, but I resist that explanation because it seems to let him off the hook somehow. I don't care if he's secretly gay or not; I just didn't appreciate that sour look.
Speculating on the reasons for his discomfort got old after a few days and so the mutual friend and I have decided to stop pursuing a friendship with him. Not that I have time for a new friend, anyway.
I hope he's going to deal with his issues, though, because I'm guessing his gay patients aren't going to want to see that sour look cross his face. 1984 wasn't that long ago. I guess maybe I should cut him some slack.
Labels: Medical School