Who's The Doctor Today?

Is he a he or is she a she?

(Ed. Note: Publishing a magazine is a difficult business in a time when "politically correct" is a governing principle. To illustrate, we have asked our native consultant and healer, Yo'Doc, to address the issue of "Sexism In Journalism." In his usual fashion, full of allegory and symbolism, he does so during an interview with Wally and Wilma Wartnagel)

Yo': Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Wartnagel.

Wilma: Well, it's Mrs. and Mr. Wartnagel for your information, Bubby!

Yo': But it's been Mr. and Mrs. for like forever - what's the deal now?

Wil: Spoken just like a guy, YoYo. Where have you been since Gloria Steinem and the rest of those brave outspoken stand-up women liberated us? Under some flat rock is my guess.

Yo': But it's only a convention, Wilma, like when you address a Senator as "The Honorable ----" even though you know he's just as dishonorable as a card-hustler in a Las Vegas saloon. We've done it for years. Why change now?

Wally: Better listen to what she's sayin', Yo'.

Wil: And another thing - that so-called on-line magazine you write for? I notice that nobody on that thing says "she" when they talk about a doctor doing this or that. It's always HE HE HE!

Yo': Are you telling me this is funny? You were laughing then, weren't you? Ha ha ha, little joke there.

Wally: Look out, Yo', she appears to be coming unglued.

Wil: I'll "joke" you, Sir Yo'Doc The Moron! Or should I say "Yo'Doc The Dinosaur?" Your kind is about as extinct as Trent Lott. No, you're worse - you're still alive but stupid, for which there is no negotiable excuse!

Wally: (Aside) I told you to look out and you didn't.

Yo': Wait just a dang minute, everybody - there's a solution to this little difference we seem to be having. I hereby propose that from now on, instead of "he" or "his", we'll use "he-sh" and "hi-ers".

Wil: There! See what I told you? Men first, just like always. I propose that we make it "sh-he" and "her-is."

Wally: And I propose we adjourn to Clancy's for a cool one.

Yo' and Wil: Pipe down!

Wally: (All whiney) Why don't I ever get a say? You two never listen to me any more.

(Ed. Note: Well, I guess THAT was a big mistake. Here's what we'll do from now on. I grew up in a time when the teacher said, "Will everyone please take out HIS McGuffy's Reader?" because that was the convention. Therefore, I find it hard to say "his/her" or "her/his" because that's unwieldy. So, for all of our female readers ((and you know who you are!)) whenever anyone on this site uses a male pronoun, simply use your gorgeous, stand-up brains, and substitute an appropriate female one.

(Every month, we will switch, and use feminine words. Thus, the guys, if they can stop driving their pick-ups, swilling beer ((hopefully NOT while driving)) and eating nachos long enough, will have to think while reading, which may, for some, present an overwhelming challenge.

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