There has been a recent surge in discussion about men’s fear to work alone with female colleagues in medicine. This reluctance puts both men and women at a disadvantage. Women are being excluded from career opportunities and men are missing out on the benefits of collaboration. As a victim of sexual misconduct during my own medical training, I find the recent increase of acceptance of reporting to be a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, my training was pre #MeToo era and I felt I had reached an unspoken ‘reporting quota’ with disability discrimination complaints (see “Hospital fires doctor for having cancer”). Women coming out about their experiences has dissuaded some actual predators from engaging in their despicable indulgences but it also deters men with perfectly good intentions from providing colleagues with chances for professional development. While watching the Kavanaugh Senate hearing, my husband noted that some men are becoming increasingly fearful they will be seen as guilty until proven innocent (regarding actual innocent men). I replied by saying, “This is the way it has been for minorities and women throughout history.” I joked, “Welcome to the club.”
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