Dr. House

[Clouds]

I just watched an episode of 'House' on TV. It was probably on ages ago in America but it was the first time I'd seen this episode.

It concerns a 15 year old girl who at first is assumed to have a heroin addiction, before it is discovered by biochemistry that she must have cancer - only there is no tumour to be found. Further investigations reveal that she has AIS and the tumour is on one of her testes.

For those who don't know, Dr. House is famed for being one of the most antisocial and objectionable doctors on the planet. But on this occasion I thought that not only Dr. House but also the makers of the programme were being incredibly insensitive - even deliberately nasty. When giving the diagnosis to the patient and her father, Dr. House starts calling the patient he, him and his, etc, despite the patient's protestations otherwise.

I can't think of a worse way that this story could have been handled, it really p*ssed me off and I needed to vent. Sorry all.

[Peter]

No need to apologize for being angry over the Dr. House intersex episode that you saw. I saw the episode when it aired in the United States, and I agree with you that it was highly insensitive. It does seem that people working on the show, including writers, producers etc. were being unnecessarily nasty. I agree that the nastiness went beyond insensitivity, as if they were taking delight in how bad they could be.

Peter

[Glenn]

Yeah, I thought the story line was very clever, but the human side was completely missing, especially how the incest angle was thrown in.
*blech*

[Kailana]

we've chatted over this topic before. With much of the same feelings being expressed.

I would like to point out though, that many doctors are just like that. They can be cold, incensitive, and can make just as many insecere comments. Being treated poorly, harshly, criticilly, is not a too unfamiliar way with how i have been treated since being diagnosed in 1993. Most of the doctors I have had just ignored how I felt after being shown and explained how I am put together. It is rare that I feel any compation when I talk with medical people.

[calypsos_daughter]

...and I was also offended, in fact I don't watch the show because of it. It's simply crap! I was offended and I felt that it was a moment that was totally wasted that could have been a great one for teaching, alas, just using us as fodder for more cheap tv exposure.

[des10ed2b]

i dont watch house, but i did watch an episode of roseanne that struck me as insensitive. granted, it was an older show and there wasnt as much about it known, etc etc. but becky an darlene are calling each other names back and forth and becky says, in this really serious disgusted tone of voice, "hermaphrodite" it really bothered me. someone out there knew that they were born that way and are now put into a disgusting category by a teenage girl on tv.