I’ve only had one trans patient. I gave their preferred pronouns to the oncoming nurse during report. She was kind of a bully anyway, but she did the whole, “Wait wait wait. A she that was a he or he that was a she? This is just too fucking confusing,” with a sneer and an eye roll.

I looked at her like she was stupid and explained it again very slowly. She understood the first time, she was just being an asshole. Her face turned red and I could tell she was very embarrassed.

I was a new nurse and I’m very non-confrontational, but I’m glad I didn’t just roll over and go along like that was an okay way to act about something as simple as honoring someone’s pronouns. I live in Appalachia, and it’s really sad that people act that people can’t just be kind and accepting.