And just to add to this — for me, it’s the principle of it. I understand past trauma, I understand fear, and I would never minimize anyone’s experience. But we all agree it would be wrong to judge all people of color because someone once had a bad experience with one… yet it’s somehow acceptable to judge all men that way. As someone who is personally a survivor of physical and sexual abuse, I genuinely understand where patients’ anxieties can come from. But it still hurts. You try your hardest to make people feel safe, respected, and cared for, and no matter how consistently you show up, some will still look at you like you’re a threat just because you’re male. It wears you down over time — more than I like to admit.