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Beyonce depicts what It can be like for a breakup from a mans point of view by playing roles of a man in this music video.

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Stereo - a film about reversed gender stereotypes

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Nursing; An Occupation for Men and Women

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Nursing; An Occupation for Men and Women

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I've witnessed paediatric patients and their families question why men are nurses, rather than doctors, as "girls are nurses, boys are doctors".

This view is outdated and can be easily solved with the recruitment of more men to nursing. There are many men working across nursing today, but the future calls for more across all fields to fully diversify.

I'm following the explosive Twitter movement #MenInNursing and have witnessed how loud the voices of all nurses are on this topic - and the encouragement and confidence to embrace more men into the profession.

It makes me proud that nursing has amazing people to banish these outdated assumptions.

In my experience on placements, working with male nurses has been beneficial to my learning. They were more down to earth and helpful than some of my female mentors; this helped me massively as personally, I get on more with men than women. It made me feel more relaxed and part of the team - like being with friends.

I'm currently finishing my second year of university in a paediatric nursing degree, with only three men in a cohort of 115 - the same number of men we started with. They demonstrate such commitment to nursing; one is a class representative, one is my best friend and they are treated no differently by anyone.

"Nursing is not reserved for a specific gender"

My best friend is a male student nurse learning with the rest of us. He is an inspiration to myself, a role model to his patients and has been through a really personal journey to be a nurse (as most of us have).

He has the same ambition, compassion and caring nature we were all selected for, which is what the voice of nurses everywhere are screaming across all social media platforms.

Nursing is not reserved for a specific gender. History has proven that women can do all manner of work to become judges, prime ministers, businesswomen, CEOs, executives, writers, engineers, doctors, policewomen and surgeons - so why can't the reverse be true? Why can't men be nurses?

If they have the same caring nature and drive that women have - why can't they do the same work women do? It should not matter to patients if nurses are male or female, what matters is that they get high quality care from a nurse.

We all train the same way, wear the same uniform, care for the same patients and represent the same standards of nursing.

I've recently read a 30-year book that talks about the outdated rituals (of that time), and how it's a sexist notion that men who are nurses are somehow different nurses to their female counterparts.

"Nursing should not be viewed by the world as a sexist workforce, but an inclusive one"

Even 30 years on, the notion may have disappeared within nursing, but the global stigma still exists. Men may be deterred from applying for nursing education because it can be seen as "women's work" when the opposite is true.

Nursing is the most inclusive culture in the world and does not discriminate of gender, race, disability or sexuality. As soon as this message is made clear to the world, men will consider this choice more, hence the movement on Twitter.

Nursing should not be viewed by the world as a sexist workforce, but an inclusive one.

We have changed the title of "sister" to "ward manager" for equal opportunity, so it should be emphasised that men can enter nursing and overcome the equality gap made by centuries of a women-dominated profession.
Laura Jayne Matthews is a second-year student children's nurse

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'Nursing should be viewed as an inclusive workforce'

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I've witnessed paediatric patients and their families question why men are nurses, rather than doctors, as "girls are nurses, boys are doctors". This view is outdated and can be easily solved with the recruitment of more men to nursing. There are many men working across nursing today, but the future calls for more across all fields to fully diversify.

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Should We Stop Having Gender Reveal Parties?

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Should We Stop Having Gender Reveal Parties?

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Bringing a new life into the world is certainly a cause for celebration. This traditionally happens in the form of a baby shower, a party where guests come to celebrate the new baby on the way and "shower" the parents-to-be with gifts that encompass everything they'll need for their little one.

I totally understand the point of a baby shower and am happy to attend them to celebrate the momentous occasion that is starting your own family. (Though there are certainly some shower customs that could use an update: For starters, why aren't all showers co-ed? After all, men are parents too, and dads, grandpas, uncles and male friends have an equal stake in the new baby's life.)

However, there's a trend in the world of expectant parents' celebrations that I find much more concerning, and that is the gender reveal party. For several years now, my social media feeds have been filled with moms- and dads-to-be gleefully cutting cakes to reveal blue or pink filling or opening up a box stuffed with blue or pink balloons to rooms full of cheers. While I generally am in favor of parties for any reason, the gender reveal party is one trend I just can't get behind.

Before you accuse me of simply being a killjoy, hear me out.

Flickr | Pm3k

The first and main reason I don't think people should have gender reveal parties is that it puts way too big of an emphasis on the idea of gender, when, in fact, you're actually celebrating the baby's sex. (Remember, sex is the biological term for whether someone has male or female genitalia. Gender, on the other hand, is a social identity that isn't necessarily defined by physical characteristics.)

It used to be that when asked if they were hoping for a boy or a girl, an expectant parent's stock response was, "We don't care, as long as it's healthy." Having an entire party just to celebrate the fact that your baby is male or female makes the statement that you care very much - and it's in direct opposition to evolving cultural and scientific views about gender, including the understanding that gender is largely a social construct rather than a reflection of inherent biological drives.

Sure, your baby may biologically be male or female, but the roles of "girl" and "boy" are more a matter of socialization, individual personality and many other factors.

What's more, there's evidence that when kids learn gender stereotypes at a young age, it can be extremely damaging. When parents impose rigid expectations on their young children related to their gender, such as giving boys the message that they should always be tough and not express their emotions or raising girls to be subservient and polite to a fault, systemic societal problems like toxic masculinity and the cult of domesticity emerge.

If we're teaching our kids that they shouldn't be defined or limited by their gender, why is the very first party we have in their honor focused on reinforcing those very limitations?

Even if you plan to raise your kids without restrictive gendered expectations, and you feel that's not the point of your gender reveal party, there's the issue that your child's sex is probably not all that important to anyone but you, your partner and maybe your closest family members.

Most expectant parents already have one party thrown in honor of them and their baby, and that's the baby shower. It seems a little excessive to ask friends and family to take part in yet another celebration for essentially the same occasion - not to mention expensive, if people feel like they must bring a gift to both.

While some people may argue that any party that's a celebration of a personal milestone (i.e. wedding, wedding shower, birthday party) is necessarily going to be selfish and centered on that particular person or couple, gender reveal parties aren't even just about you and your baby: They're about your baby's sex. And much like your friends and family probably care way less than you think about what you plan to the name the baby (sorry, it's true!), chances are they're not that invested in whether it's going to be male or female.

While I understand that for the expectant parents and perhaps those in their inner circle, learning whether the baby is a boy or a girl may be an exciting moment, I don't quite see how that warrants an entire elaborate party and/or a dramatic announcement on social media. Which brings me to another problem with gender reveal parties: They contribute to what I see as a culture overly focused on social media and how our lives are presented to the world.

I've certainly been guilty of taking way too many pictures in order to get that perfect vacation selfie to post on Instagram, only to get home and wish I had been more in the moment. Similarly, parents may spend hours scouring Pinterest for the perfect gender reveal shtick to one-up their friends - not even realizing they're caught up in a culture that forces them to aspire to impossible standards of parenthood.

Gender reveal parties have become increasingly elaborate. It used to be limited to cakes filled with pink or blue icing, but now expectant parents are devising over-the-top schemes to announce the sex of their baby. From piñatas to smoke bombs to paint guns, the pink-and-blue props for gender reveal parties are endless.

One couple even enlisted a live alligator to reveal their baby's sex:

I realize that my opinion may put me in the minority and people are unlikely to stop throwing gender reveal parties anytime soon. But it's my hope that people will stop and think about the implications of these gimmicky parties before hosting them - and stop heaping our own expectations on children before they're even born.

If, after all this, you're thinking, "Yeah, but it's not that serious. I just want to have a party with pink or blue cake. Is that so wrong?" I would encourage you to at least consider putting a fun, gender-neutral or gender stereotype-defying spin on it, like incorporating yellow into the theme as opposed to pink or blue, or incorporating toys traditionally intended for boys, like trucks, into a reveal for a girl, or vice versa (dolls for boys).

Adobe

The even more important takeaway, from my perspective, is that once your child is born, you take extra care to ensure their that their biological sex does not have too big of an impact on how you parent them or your expectations for their behavior and preferences.

Dr. Leena Nahata, a pediatric physician in the Section of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Diabetes at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, wrote a perspective piece in the journal Pediatrics about the wider implications of gender reveal parties, entitled "The Gender Reveal: Implications for a Cultural Tradition for Pediatric Health," and she advocates for parents to think critically about their intentions surrounding a gender reveal party.

"People may have a gender reveal and still internally say, 'You know what? We realize that gender is one aspect of our child," Nahata told WBUR. "And we're going to do this party because this is what people do and it's for fun, but we also recognize that sometimes it's not going to be what we expect either at birth or at some point in life, and it's just one aspect of our child.' I think that's really the most important thing."

As this mom pointed out, having both a son and a daughter forced her to challenge her own preconceived notions surrounding gender roles - and that's a good thing! After all, kids often teach us as much as we teach them, and some would argue that getting to know your kid as an individual is one of the best parts of parenting.

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Opinion: Parents, Please Stop Throwing Gender Reveal Parties

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Bringing a new life into the world is certainly a cause for celebration. This traditionally happens in the form of a baby shower, a party where guests come to celebrate the new baby on the way and "shower" the parents-to-be with gifts that encompass everything they'll need for their little one.

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Privilege more tools to conquer the tug of way known as life.

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Trees as a Platform for Student Activism

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Trees as a Platform for Student Activism

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Students at Iowa State University encountered a new form of arboreal activism on campus this week in the form of a "Tree of Oppression" funded by the student government.

According to the images obtained by Campus Reform, the tree was located on campus and appeared to have several multi-colored plastic chains wrapped around its trunk and branches. The political display was also accompanied by a "tree of oppression" sign that explained the message behind the initiative.

"This tree represents the countless identities that face oppression on campus each day."

"This tree represents the countless identities that face oppression on campus each day," the sign read. "Each color represents a different identity waiting to break the chains of bondage."
[RELATED: Student gov labels conservative events 'discriminatory incidents']
While independent student organizations frequently spearhead similar political projects around the country, the funding for the "Tree of Oppression" was allocated by the Iowa State Student Government Senate in October, 2017.

According to the student government bill, which passed without serious opposition last year, the tree "represents the macro and micro-aggressive interactions marginalized students experience under institutionalized systems of oppression each day."

"The Diversity and Inclusion Committee hopes to use this tree as a physical representation of the university's, and more specifically the student body's, acknowledgement of these negatively impactful interactions," the bill read.

The document also presented a breakdown of the proposed expenses for the project, including $640 for colored plastic chains, $150 for a metal sign, and $210 for shipping and handling.

"[The] Committee also hopes to elicit implicit and explicit conversations surrounding these oppressive systems from populations that tend to ignore or conveniently avoid topics of social justice," the bill added.

Jacob Schrader, the only senator to vote against the bill at the time, told Campus Reform that "[n]ormally this sort of stuff is done by clubs while this was a direct action by a committee of student government," and that he felt it was "preachy towards the student body..."

"My main issue with the bill is that it is wasting $1,000 of the money taken from students on something most students will ignore or laugh at due to the sheer stupidity of the name," he said.

Taylor Collins, State Chairman of College Republicans in Iowa, told Campus Reform that while he "knew the 'Diversity and Inclusion' committee had allocated the money last year," he never thought "that the administration would allow something so ridiculous to be put up on campus."
[RELATED: Student gov to consider mandatory diversity course after protests]
"Once again we see academia working as hard as they can to convince an entire generation that we are victims of our own society," he continued. "This won't go on forever though, these overpaid administrators may be able to hide in their ivory tower for now, but the taxpayers in Iowa are preparing for a day of reckoning."

Follow the authors of this article on Twitter: @benaboss2 and @marina_a_jaimes

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Iowa State student gov sponsors 'tree of oppression'

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Students at Iowa State University encountered a new form of arboreal activism on campus this week in the form of a "Tree of Oppression" funded by the student government. According to the images obtained by Campus Reform, the tree was located on campus and appeared to have several multi-colored plastic chains wrapped around its trunk and branches.

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Oppression is not the same for everyone, as there are numerous additional forms of oppression that are not applicable for everyone

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LETTER: Independence from opioid oppression

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On July 4, millions of Americans will come together to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a historic testimonial against oppression that still inspires people around the world. Today, millions of Americans are confronting another kind of oppression - opioid addiction.

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Those who are not oppressed are often blinded by the acts which make up the tunnel of oppression, resulting in the belief taht oppression does not exist.

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Different Prospective of Gay Pride Rallies

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Different Prospective of Gay Pride Rallies

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Gay Pride rallies do not mean the same thing to members who come from different demographics and backgrounds.

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Hundreds of thousands of people will line the streets on Saturday to celebrate the LGBT community at Pride in London.

But many LGBT black people say they feel excluded at mainstream Pride events and experience racism on the gay scene.

And that's why, the day after Pride in London, UK Black Pride takes place a few miles down the road.

It brings together music, food, performances and culture that many LGBT people from black or Asian backgrounds find missing at many Pride events.

In 2017, an estimated 6,000 people turned out to celebrate being black and LGBT in Vauxhall's Pleasure Gardens.

"The Pride in London parade itself is very white. You go there and you look out - you're in a sea of whiteness," says Tanya Compas, UK Black Pride's youth engagement officer.

"At Black Pride, even the stalls are reflective of the London community. They're selling jerk chicken, the Asian community have got their stalls selling different curries.

"They've got music we will listen to in our households and music we've grown up with playing out loud."

And when people question whether hosting UK Black Pride is divisive and ask "Why is there no white Pride?" Tanya says that already exists - it happens the day before.

"Nothing is done to make us feel like we're included there," she says.

"If you are there as a black person, you feel like you have to perform your blackness.

"If you don't come out being overt, very loud and dancing, people are looking at you like 'What are you doing here then? Why are you not performing for us?'"

Tanya says young black and Asian LGBT people need to experience a Pride which isn't "whitewashed and very cis-gendered."

"It's really important for young people to know there's a massive community of people that exists. Somewhere people are existing loudly and expressing themselves in their most unapologetic manner, still listening to the same music - but they are queer people," she says.

It's not just individuals who find Pride in London lacking in diversity.

In February, LGBT charity Stonewall announced it would not take part in Pride In London but would instead "significantly extend" its support and presence at UK Black Pride.

"It is an event we are proud to support and showcases the best of what community-led Pride events can be - it is free to attend, accessible and welcoming to all," it said.

Stonewall said it chose to pull out of Pride in London after organisers rejected concerns about the lack of diversity at the event in 2017 made by its own community advisory board in 2017.

Newsbeat has contacted Pride in London for a statement but we have not received a response.

Marc Biaketh, a 20-year-old nursing student from Nottingham, is going to UK Black Pride for the first time this year.

"I'm excited to see the variety and diversity of the people who are going to be there and how familiar they are going to look," he tells Newsbeat.

He says knowing about events like UK Black Pride would have helped him when he was younger and struggling to come to terms with his sexuality.

"I was thinking 'I'm all by myself here, there's no-one to help, nowhere to go to, nowhere to celebrate this'," he says.

"It wasn't until many years later that I found out that UK Black Pride exists."

For Sherelle Thomas, a 24-year-old London-based DJ, it's the community aspect that keeps her returning year after year.

That and the "very good music and very good food".

"Black Pride is important because it's the only Pride you actually feel that there is a sense of a community coming together," she tells Newsbeat.

Sherelle says many of her experiences on the gay scene and at other Pride events seemed geared towards white men.

"It's an amazing thing to have as a black lesbian woman who, a couple of years ago, would not be as comfortable talking about this, to have something like UK Black Pride represent myself and countless other people."

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here.

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Why we need to celebrate being black and gay

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Hundreds of thousands of people will line the streets on Saturday to celebrate the LGBT community at Pride in London. But many LGBT black people say they feel excluded at mainstream Pride events and experience racism on the gay scene. And that's why, the day after Pride in London, UK Black Pride takes place a few miles down the road.

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Individuals are made up of different overlapping circles which make their own experiences unique.

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If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.

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The following are the standard types or methods of modern activism: 6. THIRTEEN TYPES OF ACTIVISM 1. Volunteer: Volunteer on your own or with interested groups to assist disadvantaged and underprivileged people, and threatened species and habitats. In an international context, volunteer to work in refugee camps, at local schools and medical care clinics, or for some other NGO (non-governmental organization).

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The Red Carpet as a Platform for Activism

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The Red Carpet as a Platform for Activism

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Indeed, Streep is reportedly one of the many women who plan to wear black at the awards show. Some men will join in, too. In fact, Uter's own client, "Stranger Things" star Noah Schnapp, plans to wear black, he said.

While the wear-black movement is shaping up to be arguably Hollywood's largest demonstration on the red carpet, it's not the first time stars have used fashion as a springboard for activism. Ahead of Sunday's Golden Globe Awards, let's take a look.

A new trend? Not quite

Actor Ryan Gosling wore a "Darfur" shirt to the MTV Movie Awards in 2005 to raise awareness of the horrific violence in Sudan. The war killed hundreds of thousands of people in what's been described as one of the worst humanitarian crises of all time.

Gosling made his red carpet statement alongside "The Notebook" co-star Rachel McAdams.

Calling for change in the South

And in February 2016, "Quantico" actress Aunjanue Ellis used her red carpet moment to urge Mississippi to take down its state flag, which includes the Confederate symbol.

Later that year, at the Gracie Awards, she directed her message at former President Barack Obama, writing on her gown, "President Obama, take it down."

A message for the president

Shortly after the 2016 election, many celebrities used the red carpet to express their disappointment with President Donald Trump's policies.

At a premiere for the film "Allied" in London that November, actress Lizzy Caplan held her palm up to the cameras, revealing "Love Trumps Hate" written on her hand, a slogan that had been adopted by the president's opponents.

Two months later, in January 2017, "Big Bang Theory" star Simon Helberg and his wife protested Trump's travel ban on the red carpet at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles. He held a sign that read, "Refugees welcome," while his wife Jocelyn Towne, also an actor, had "Let them in" written on her chest.

Not everyone is anti-Trump on the red carpet. Singer Joy Villa famously wore a "Make America Great Again" gown to the Grammy Awards last February.

"Sometimes you just gotta be free to express yourself," she wrote on Instagram, sharing snapshots of the gown, which featured Trump's name and slogan.

When a pantsuit isn't just a pantsuit

Even a simple suit can make a statement on the red carpet. At last year's Golden Globes, actress Evan Rachel Wood wore a sleek tux, explaining, "I wanted to make sure young girls and women know that (dresses) aren't a requirement. You don't have to wear one if you don't want to."

Other celebrities specifically pointed to former presidential candidate Hilary Clinton as their inspiration.

"It was kind of an appropriate time for a woman to wear pants," celebrity stylist Linda Medvene told Variety last year of her choice to style actress Felicity Huffman in a white-and-gold jumpsuit for the Globes. Huffman later said her outfit was in honor of Clinton, according to the website.

At last year's Oscars ...

At the Academy Awards in 2017, the most popular accessory was neither a clutch nor a piece of jewelry: It was a blue ribbon, worn to show support for the American Civil Liberties Union.

Many stars wore the ACLU ribbon on the red carpet, including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Busy Phillips and Karlie Kloss.

Director Ava DuVernay, who had been nominated for an Oscar for her Netflix documentary, "13th," purposely chose to wear a gown by a Muslim designer. "A small sign of solidarity," she wrote on Twitter.

Since the downfall of Harvey Weinstein and other powerful men in Hollywood, it's clear the industry is ready for a change. And on Sunday, we'll see what that means for fashion and the red carpet.

As Uter explained, events like the Golden Globes are an ideal opportunity for celebrities to make a statement.

"The coverage is worldwide," he said. "It's one of the biggest events in the world. People pay attention."

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How celebrities have used the red carpet as a platform for activism

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Indeed, Streep is reportedly one of the many women who plan to wear black at the awards show. Some men will join in, too. In fact, Uter's own client, "Stranger Things" star Noah Schnapp, plans to wear black, he said.