Page 166 - S. Ličen, I. Karnjuš, & M. Prosen (Eds.). (2019). Women, migrations and health: Ensuring transcultural healthcare. Koper, University of Primorska Press.
P. 166
ana Medarić and Mateja Sedmak
immune from ethnic prejudices, stereotypes, culturalism and other forms of
discriminatory behaviour. The most explicit expression of negative attitudes
towards migrant women (as well as migrants in general) was expressed by
one of the health professionals. He is against immigration and expressed
the view that migration should be limited or prohibited completely. He also
pointed out that ‘with these people I don’t have anything in common.’
You call me a nationalist, a chauvinist, a racist. I don’t care. This is my
opinion. Of course, you as a sociologist, you think differently.
Particularly in relation to Albanian women, among healthcare profession-
als there is a very firm and stereotyped belief that Albanian women: do not
speak Slovene; are under the control of the husband and the wider family;
are not emancipated, but are isolated, ignorant, poor, and do not want to in-
tegrate, etc. In short, they are seen as a homogeneous ethnic group without
internal differentiation. In attitudes towards them, compassion (they are per-
ceived as helpless victims of their own culture) and victimization (they do not
want to speak Slovenian and do not want to integrate into Slovenian society)
can simultaneously be observed.
These are women who are in a closed circle, who usually do not make
contact, do not go to the store, do not go to meetings, do not go to
kindergarten, unlike all these other immigrants that we also have. Let’s
say the Russians recently, who want to integrate. Maybe they have a
different interest.
If you have our insurance, come with our insurance, by staying here,
excuse me, but for every country that you go to, you should do the
training course, the basic language. I mean three words: bleeding, pain,
I can’t do it anymore, breast, milk . . . and goodbye – that’s it. Nobody
asks you for anything special. They look at you stupidly, do not know,
they do not know. At 2 pm ‘my husband.’ Well, what is the matter with
you? I am a midwife, I am not a multinational, not even on television,
nor do I know how to say it [. . .]
A special form of difference – behaviour based on ‘exoticism’ – was experi-
enced by one migrant woman. According to her, this was not offensive, more
a mixture of ‘affectionate treatment’ and fascination over ‘differentiation.’ Her
chosen gynaecologist addressed her with words like ‘my little chocolate’ and
164
immune from ethnic prejudices, stereotypes, culturalism and other forms of
discriminatory behaviour. The most explicit expression of negative attitudes
towards migrant women (as well as migrants in general) was expressed by
one of the health professionals. He is against immigration and expressed
the view that migration should be limited or prohibited completely. He also
pointed out that ‘with these people I don’t have anything in common.’
You call me a nationalist, a chauvinist, a racist. I don’t care. This is my
opinion. Of course, you as a sociologist, you think differently.
Particularly in relation to Albanian women, among healthcare profession-
als there is a very firm and stereotyped belief that Albanian women: do not
speak Slovene; are under the control of the husband and the wider family;
are not emancipated, but are isolated, ignorant, poor, and do not want to in-
tegrate, etc. In short, they are seen as a homogeneous ethnic group without
internal differentiation. In attitudes towards them, compassion (they are per-
ceived as helpless victims of their own culture) and victimization (they do not
want to speak Slovenian and do not want to integrate into Slovenian society)
can simultaneously be observed.
These are women who are in a closed circle, who usually do not make
contact, do not go to the store, do not go to meetings, do not go to
kindergarten, unlike all these other immigrants that we also have. Let’s
say the Russians recently, who want to integrate. Maybe they have a
different interest.
If you have our insurance, come with our insurance, by staying here,
excuse me, but for every country that you go to, you should do the
training course, the basic language. I mean three words: bleeding, pain,
I can’t do it anymore, breast, milk . . . and goodbye – that’s it. Nobody
asks you for anything special. They look at you stupidly, do not know,
they do not know. At 2 pm ‘my husband.’ Well, what is the matter with
you? I am a midwife, I am not a multinational, not even on television,
nor do I know how to say it [. . .]
A special form of difference – behaviour based on ‘exoticism’ – was experi-
enced by one migrant woman. According to her, this was not offensive, more
a mixture of ‘affectionate treatment’ and fascination over ‘differentiation.’ Her
chosen gynaecologist addressed her with words like ‘my little chocolate’ and
164
