Medicine still needs feminism

Professions have symbols of authority. Doctors have stethoscopes, clergy have scepters, judges have gavels, police have guns, conductors have batons, and businessmen have long ties, not bowties. The ostentatious display of the stethoscope, scepter, gavel, gun, baton, and tie suggests that each one is a status and phallic symbol, which supports our pervasive, oppressive patriarchy. Symbols of authority should be more gender neutral, and patriarchies should be passé.