If a patient requests same sex care and a doctor lies to them and performs intimate care, that should be a sex crime

Absolutely this!

Once a patient has requested a female doctor, it shouldn't be on them to then determine, while likely in pain etc, whether that doctor is in fact female, and then object.

If I request a female healthcare professional, then either I'm seen by a female (actual female, not someone identifying as such) or I'm told that's not possible so I can then decide what I want to happen. Informed consent all the way.

@Chillibeds

"My husbands office had their arses handed to them when the attempted to change the loos.
Absolute murder.
The females in the office were so furious and upset.
Grovelling apologies all round."

I, personally, am genuinely stunned that the female staff weren't told to reframe their trauma and get sent for re-education!

Good for the women for standing up, and for those (sadly, not always men) who tried to impose this change to capitulate.

Though I am curious about who or why the attempt was made to change the loos (I'm assuming to the usual 'all genders', or, how it actually works, men's and everyone's). Is there a blue-haired enby at the company?

Can you conceive of any situations or individual circumstances where other women may feel differently to you?

Personally I would be ok with a male in an ED setting, although I have deliberately chosen women as my obstetricians and GPs (in Aus, where private care is more common).

A man LARPing as a woman does give me the ick, and I would prefer not to have any gynae exams done by him

It’s the deception that matters and being honest with the patient before so they can consent to who touches them.

He clearly didn't pass on camera during the parts of the tribunal that the public could access, so there's no way he's even close to passing IRL. He admitted to being 6 ft tall. I think it was the only question he was willing to give a straight answer to.

But the point isn't whether he passes or not. He's insisting that other people must pretend he's female in all circumstances.

Yes, which is why I'd much prefer to be examined by a trans man aka a woman than a trans woman aka a man, that was my point entirely.

But there’s also the issue of privacy and dignity. Some women would feel it an invasion of their privacy, frankly.

It's a fundamental point of care - anyone has the right to ask for a doctor of the same sex.

And informed consent is one of the cornerstones for healthcare.

But a trans man is technically a woman

I kind of disagree, I think medical care should be performed by professionals and a chaperone should be provided on request but the sex or gender does matter as they are professionals. I've had a male ob/gyn and I certainly didn't think he was anything other than the best qualified person to help me, he was the top person at the hospital in fact! The fact your biologically male dr wears dresses is of no consequence to their ability to practice medicine. No dr should be abusing patients ever, it has nothing to do with their sex

Gosh that'd make all the difference. Not.

Exactly - this awful weasly wording "preferred gender" absolutely grinds my gears

I want an HCP whose sex is female. If she takes testosterone and spprts a beard that would be a bit odd and I'd wonder about why, but fine. But gender is not the issue here. It's sex.

And a GRC means nothing to me. I don’t believe in “gender” as a concept. Even though there are supposedly 73 genders now

There often are only either male or female doctors about of varying skill levels and in emergency care especially we don’t have the time (as in patients are critically unwell) or the skill mix to afford choice but I can categorically say no member of staff, male or female does an intimate examination of a patient without a chaperone and there is absolutely always a female chaperone available.
Dr Upton comes across by their media portrayal as very unpleasant and cocky. I have no doubt they have a difficult time adjusting or integrating for various reasons with new teams but everything sounds so self directed rather than team or patient oriented.

I think at this stage, after so many discussions, I think that this is not really a significant issue.

The female people with transgender identities that have taken testosterone and have deliberately made changes to their bodies to have some male body cues tend to understand that the way they present can cause other female people distress. From what I understand, few, if any, female doctors who have taken these steps would probably enter into an interaction with a female patient who has requested female only professionals for intimate care.

It does however, seem to be something that male people seem all too willing to do. They say it is so they are not 'outed'. But I think it is a validation tool for them.

So, I dont' think it is the can of worms you think as far as female people who have transitioned. And in person, I am not sure just how many of these female people pass with all patients through out interaction, particularly with the voice. I know that some people will absolutely swear 'they cannot tell', but I suspect that most female people will be able to tell even just be movement and voice and stature.

Nor do I. Which is the problem with Dr Upton. He is acting out a fantasy at work and deceiving patients - who may be in no state to recognise the deception.

This x 10,000!

This is the whole point.

Our GP surgery is a fairly equal mix of male and female doctors. I nearly always choose one of the male GPs as I feel comfortable with him and he is more understanding than the females I've seen. However I know he's male so it's my choice and I can make the choice of whether I see him or a female GP.

If I am requesting a female doctor I would prefer to see a female doctor. A GRC doesn’t mean that people have changed sex, because no one can change sex.

I had not seen photos. But of course, logically he does not pass or SP wouldn't have realised he was male. I suspect air-brushed photo?

No. Basic patient respect and an understanding that when you work in some fields where people are at their most vulnerable you cease to be the most important person in the room.

So if someone asks for a female clinician, and the only one available is a transman, and when that clinician attends the patient they object because they don't believe that the transman is actually female, you go back to "sorry, Dr X is female but now presents as male however you are not obliged to accept care from him. How would you like to proceed?".

Lets say you know that your friend's dad works as a surgeon and you're due to have a relatively minor procedure carried out under general anaesthetic. You specifically request that your friend's dad doesn't carry out the procedure because, no biggie - it just makes you feel uncomfortable. You're told that's fine. It wouldn't be a big deal if it was delayed.

You find out later that friend's dad threw a hissy fit at not being involved and carried out the procedure - I think we can all agree that you didn't consent to that? This is the same. If friend's dad jumped in because you were bleeding out and he was the only person available to help? Reasonable not to check your consent in an emergency situation.

There are already detailed rules about consent, and the differences between seeking consent in routine and emergency situations. It's only in the specific circumstances of same sex (not gender) care that there appears to be some tension and a willingness to attempt to mislead patients by some institutions and staff members. I believe this invalidates consent as it's generally understood and should be stopped.

1000%

you’ve articulated this perfectly

I can see both sides. A doctor should be able to examine a patient without having to explain every 5 minutes "I'm trans", to each new patient they see.

In emergency situations, the parties should be considered as Doctor and Patient rather than man/woman.

However, as Dr Upton is legally male (no reassignment surgery or legal gender change certificate according tot the article) if a patient (or the person advocating for them) has specifically asked for a female doctor, I think that Dr Upton should respect and acknowledge that and excuse himself from that case and move on to their next one.

Mine lied as was hidden by gowns and masks at the time and was not really aware until it was too late.

The horror came years later when I realised it was a male I knew, found out by a chance meeting with admission of it and a couple of inappropriate comments were made.