# Do OB/GYNs Tape Posters Of Naked Men On The Ceiling To Help 'Relax' Their Patients? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 26, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161 "2006-09-26T01:58:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/1 "2006-09-26T01:58:05Z")
Is it true that it is not uncommon for gynecologists to tape posters onto the ceilings of their examination rooms for their patients to view while they are being examined? Generally, what themes are used for OB/GYN ceiling posters and how are they selected? Do they frequently involve photos of handsome, partially-clothed men?? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/2 "2006-09-26T02:00:18Z")
I’ve never heard of this being done. In fact, with most businesses having zero tolerance for any form of sexual harassment, I’d say doing this would create a huge liability. I have seen photos of waterfalls and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/3 "2006-09-26T02:00:29Z")
I am 45 years old. I have seen many different GYN practitioners in those years. I have never once seen a poster of anything on the ceiling of a GYN exam room. I had a dentist who had posters on the ceiling in the cleaning room. ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/4 "2006-09-26T02:00:56Z")
I have never heard this and I think if I went into an exam room that had such posters, I would turn around and leave. Don’t get me wrong…I love a good looking, half naked man as much as the next woman but that is just not the place. ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/5 "2006-09-26T02:05:59Z")
Generally, if there is anything, it’s a pretty poster of a forest or something. I had one nurse practitioner who had a picture of a kitten stuck in a tree, with the caption, “How did I get myself into this position?” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/6 "2006-09-26T02:10:02Z")
I’ve seen pictures of the beach and stuff. I think having anything vaguely arousing would be counter-productive at the OB/GYN; arousal = engorgement = more sensitivity = OUCH! Plus it would just be creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Gr8Kat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gr8kat/32/18668_2.png) [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/7 "2006-09-26T02:12:04Z")
Never. The only time I’ve seen something i’ve seen on the ceiling was at the urologist’s office, and it was a poster of butterflies. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Perro\_Fumando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e9c0ed/32.png) [@El\_Perro\_Fumando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Perro_Fumando)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/8 "2006-09-26T02:14:03Z")
[QUOTE=The Sausage Creature] I think having anything vaguely arousing would be counter-productive at the OB/GYN; arousal = engorgement = more sensitivity = OUCH! [/QUOTE] Agreed. My OB/GYN doesn’t have such posters on the walls or ceilings, not even the peaceful nature scene. I relax there because my Dr. went to high school and college with my mom (and probably dated her), so it’s a weird friendship thing. He also delivered me and my sister. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/9 "2006-09-26T02:15:18Z")
Not common in the slightest! I’m 36 and I’ve had 4 different ob/gyn offices in my life, one had a poster copy of a landscape painting, the other 3 had zilch. While we’re collecting anecdotes, I just asked my girlfriend on the phone, and once she got done laughing at the absurdity, she affirmed that she’s never seen or even heard of anything like that. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/10 "2006-09-26T02:17:45Z")
Where on earth did you hear this? If anything (usually nothing) usually it’s rainforests with lots of birds and things, or mobiles or something like that. You MUST tell us where you got this idea, though! It’s a riot. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/11 "2006-09-26T02:21:54Z")
:eek: Good lord no. An OB-GYN exam is one time (the only time as far as I’m concerned) when you don’t want to be thinking about sex. It wouldn’t “relax” anyone. Creepy is, I think, the word. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/12 "2006-09-26T02:25:03Z")
Mine used to have that “Fake Definitions for Medical Terms” thing which I sort of enjoyed. Kind of entertaining, ya know? But no half clothed men. Honestly, it’s the least sexual situation I can think of - half naked men would not be appropriate. (And yes, I know that when some men imagine it, it seems loaded with sexual overtones. Trust me, when you’re there, it aint sexy _AT ALL_) ---
**Author:** ![toadbriar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@toadbriar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadbriar)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/13 "2006-09-26T03:00:51Z")
Oooo, I get to be the odd one out! The clinic on campus at my university had a Brad Pitt poster on the ceiling over the exam table. A picture of him from Legends of the Fall. I recall an open shirt and some chestage, but not nudity. Also there were cheery cotton-print oven mitts over the stirrups. I was amused. It added a bit of levity to what is often stressful and scary - it’s likely that a lot of girls hadn’t had gyn visits before going away to college. I can’t imagine that anyone would actually become aroused during an exam! Being a campus clinic whose clientele was exclusively students, the ambience was probably a little different from the usual OB/GYN office. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/14 "2006-09-26T03:05:38Z")
Nope. Never seen it done. Naked pictures of anybody would result in me walking out and calling a licensing board. It would be totally inappropriate. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/15 "2006-09-26T03:09:55Z")
> [@](#): > > Being a campus clinic whose clientele was exclusively students, the ambience > was probably a little different from the usual OB/GYN office. Speaking as a psychologist who’s worked at university counseling centers, I can’t begin to imagine the PTSD complaints involved. ---
**Author:** ![toadbriar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@toadbriar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadbriar)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/16 "2006-09-26T04:12:07Z")
[QUOTE=Shoshana] Speaking as a psychologist who’s worked at university counseling centers, I can’t begin to imagine the PTSD complaints involved. [/QUOTE] Really? From this? [http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/54/039\_14846~Brad-Pitt-Posters.jpg](http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/54/039_14846~Brad-Pitt-Posters.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/17 "2006-09-26T04:20:20Z")
[QUOTE=Gr8Kat] Never. The only time I’ve seen something i’ve seen on the ceiling was at the urologist’s office, and it was a poster of butterflies. [/QUOTE] Naked male butterflies? ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/18 "2006-09-26T04:46:52Z")
> [@](#): > > Really? From this? > [http://imagecache2.allposters.com/i...itt-Posters.jpg](http://imagecache2.allposters.com/i...itt-Posters.jpg) Essentially lying over a woman who’s having her genitals examined? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/19 "2006-09-26T05:05:50Z")
[QUOTE=toadbriar] Being a campus clinic whose clientele was exclusively students, the ambience was probably a little different from the usual OB/GYN office. [/QUOTE] I would think a university would be even less likely to risk such a thing. What about the lesbians? Women who’ve suffered date rape? Or worse? When I was going to school, I knew several girls who were very anti-male due to past abuse. Students are extremely vocal about stuff like this and it’d make the campus paper in a heartbeat. Heck, I’m het and the idea offends me too. I don’t want any suggestion of sex accompanying what is an already extemely awkward and uncomfortable situation. The OP sounds like a silly male fantasy. Would staring at a picture of a half-naked girl relax you while the doctor examines your testicles for lumps or checks your prostate? ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161/20 "2006-09-26T06:46:29Z")
_Very_ bad idea. Doctors should not do _anything_ to try to make a pelvic examination sexual. Perhaps a man should think of it as about as enjoyable as having his balls gripped in a vice for five minutes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ob-gyns-tape-posters-of-naked-men-on-the-ceiling-to-help-relax-their-patients/374161.md?page=2)