[HPforGrownups] Re: Gender balance/strong women Madam Pomfrey in particular

[Katie Kearns]

No: HPFGUIDX 15033

At 02:09 PM 3/23/01 -0800, you wrote:
>Hello,
>
> > Pomfrey's role. She is
> > a nurse and as such, has a very important part in
> > the health & welfare of
> > the students and staff. She does a bit more than
> > merely "clean up."
>
>The stereotype has always been that the doctors are
>male and nurses female, because doctors are seen as
>more important than nurses.  Although a school
>presumably doesn't need a doctor, by having the school
>nurse as female, the book is conforming to stereotypes
>that had been in our culture for at least half a
>century.  Nurses *are* important, but doctors get more
>respect.
>
>little Alex


I'm sorry -- how is she a nurse and not a doctor? Nurses don't diagnose. 
Nurses don't re-grow entire arms back.

Pomfrey *is* the doctor and is a very powerful character.

-Katie