Who does your smear tests? Man or woman?

[Ikeasucks]

In my 50’s and had a recent very painful smear test. I’ve always had a female do them, i just prefer it but it’s always been just the norm in my experience. Just wondered about others as I’m following a thread on twitter where lots of posters are pouring scorn on women wanting or expecting another woman to do it, saying they don’t care or have had males doing it. Some might be from other countries of course where it’s more normal to have men doing it.

I'm also in my 50's and had one the other week, done by a nurse a bit older than me. Ideal. I find them a lot more uncomfortable than they used to be. I would actually refuse one done by a male, I felt uncomfortable/embarrassed enough when a male sonographer was moving the internal probe thing around a year or two back. Never again!

I really don't care, I find smears awful so either way I just want it over and done with. I've seen a male gynacologist before and it didn't bother me. Wouldn't judge a woman for not wanting a man to do it though

One of the nurses at our GP surgery is male. When I called up to make the appointment they gave me the option of a female nurse or either. I opted for female. A general health check-weight, blood pressure or vaccination I would be ok with male.

Always a woman ie adult female.

I have had male gynaes examine me but always with a female chaperone present (male gynaes' choice).

Twitter is full of liars.

Always been female. Would not accept a male for intimate stuff.

I’m 52 and have only had women do a smear test. Unless it was an emergency, I wouldn’t accept a man doing it. My body my choice.

I've only had women do my smears. Don't think I'd feel comfortable with a male doing it but any other procedure I wouldn't care

I'm in my late 50s and have always had a woman doing smears and mammograms.

I wouldn't want a man doing either.

Usually a woman. However when I had an abnormal result and had to have some cells removed at the hospital it was a man that did it. I thought I would mind but in the event I really didn't care.

Usually a woman does my smears but when I had a colposcopy and later a cone biopsy the gynae was a man and I felt no more uncomfortable than if it were a female. I think a male consultant oversaw my first labour and did the emcs as well but I was so off my tits on pethidine that I didn't give a shit.

I’ve had both and in all honestly the male nurse was more gentle and took more time with me, made sure I was comfortable etc.. Both are professionals IMO and doesn’t bother me at all

I've only ever had a smear or other gynae procedure done by a female. I wouldn't NOT have a man however not only would I feel very, very uncomfortable, only another woman would understand how unpleasant and intimate it can feel.

I'm so glad I'm not on Twatter, I'd spend my day telling idiots like that to F off and have sky high blood pressure

twitter can be very America biased - my American friends have gynae’s that they see regularly & build a relationship with, very different to rocking up to your GPS to see which ever practice nurse is on that day.

I would choose female every time & more importantly I want my daughters to be able to choose to be seen by a female. (& my mother definitely wants females to do any intimate care)

It’s all about consent & in the case of smears being as relaxed as possible is really important- of course it should be up to individual women to decide who has access to their body!!!

Had both male and females do them. Not bothered which. Appointment is with whoever has a free appointment slot.

It's always been a woman for me, like other posters have said, it's the nurse does it, and so far that's always been a woman. After having 2 kids tbh I wouldn't be that bothered, strangely dh seems more upset by the idea than I would be. Though when he had a problem with his bits he went to woman, so what does that say?

I've only ever had women do them, but that was just who I got. The best Gynae I saw though was a man.

Only had women and I'd only have a woman. Saw a male gynae at the hospital and he was great but it didn't involve being examined.

Ive had both, males are always chaperoned ime. I dont really see why most people would care its a 1 minute medical procedure. I don't really think people have the right to request a same sex nurse/doctor when receiving free nhs services with the odd exception like victims of sexual assault/violence. Although if they request it at the time of booking i dont suppose it matters much. All that being said ive always found that its a female nurse at the doctors and only a male in a hospital or if the doctor did it themselves its not really cost effective to pay someone to stand around watching someone else work allday is it!

@Wiaa victims of sexual assault aren't small in number...

Since I discovered I had a voice and was allowed to say I wanted to be treated a certain way, I've only ever had women do it. I have asked a male med student to leave (which he was so gracious about I nearly cried) before an intimate exam too. When I was younger and didn't feel able to say no to a male medic, I would just dissociate. I didn't know that's what it was called then and as it's a way to make you feel better, if you'd asked me then if I preferred a man I'd have said yes! Because I didn't feel so scared by women that I'd dissociate, therefore being aware of what was happening during the exam!

I've heard of men doing mammograms. That's great for women who can cope with their breasts being handled by strange men (same as those who are happy having their vaginas touched by strange men) but I'd definitely not be having a mammogram in that situation. And by man I mean the biological sort.

Under emergency conditions I'd either be unconscious or dissociate if there was a man doing an intimate exam.

And my GP also put a note on my file about this, so it's rare for me to get any male provider.

I’ve had both. It really doesn’t bother me either way but can understand that it could bother others.

As for the idea that as the NHS is free, women should be seen by whoever is available: THE NHS IS NOT FREE!!

If there needs to be more investment to make women who are unable to have men carry out internal exams have a woman then first off, limit the number of men who can train for gynaecology. Increase the number of women.

Or how about financial penalties for every man convicted of any sexual crime or violent crime against a woman or child and this goes to the NHS to fund training of more female providers? I think this should be happening any way to increase funding for Rape Crisis and Women's Aid.

I dont really see why most people would care its a 1 minute medical procedure. I don't really think people have the right to request a same sex nurse/doctor when receiving free nhs services with the odd exception like victims of sexual assault/violence.

Really? You really don’t see why most people would care? How long the procedure takes is irrelevant

NHS services aren’t free. They’re paid for through taxation and of course service users have the right to choose who carries out an intimate examination on them! It’s an integral part of consent.

Also, sexual abuse survivors are not ‘odd exceptions’ and even those who have not experienced sexual abuse/ assault have the right to choose who touches their body.

I'm not 'woke'. I'm pragmatic.

I just don't give a shiny shit as long as somebody who knows what they are doing treats/examines/tests me.

I'm not gay, I've had plenty of men in that region throughout my adult life mostly by consent, so being picky about it when it could save my life doesn't seem logical to me. But PTSD, cultural preferences or suchlike aren't logical, they're emotional (which is NOT a criticism, it's an observation) so if somebody only wants a female in the area when it comes to their health, that's up to them.

Same way I didn't give a shiny one about the male doctor who checked a lump and referred me for an urgent breast scan, or the one who scanned me and told me it was OK. Waiting god knows how many weeks for a fellow vagina owner to become available to do exactly the same with exactly the same level of experience and education just didn't appeal.

On a completely and utterly selfish level, if some women are refusing appointments so that they can be seen by a female HCP, that benefits me, as the male ones' waiting lists are going to be shorter. Which is probably the least Woke anybody could be about it.

Female, but it wouldn't bother me if it was a male

I totally respect that a lot of people would have problems with a male doing it though, for lots of different reasons, and think that they should check with the patient when they make the appointment, making it clear that it's not a problem to make an alternative appointment with a female. There should always be a choice, even if it's just that the woman feels embarrassed with a male, nothing wrong with that

When you've been in and out of hospital most of your life, providing there are no other circumstances that make it an issue, you kind of don't care anymore, you realise that it's just a job and no different to them looking at your ankle. Plus you lose count of the amount of times breasts have been seen/touched/moved out of the way, as well as them being around lower regions, and you can't really stop them in resus when they are doing urgent ecgs and the bloody breasts are in the way... Again 🙄

Actually, no, I did have one done by a male, forgot as it was at hospital appointment not a routine smear, he got a chaperone while I got on the bed

I don't really think people have the right to request a same sex nurse/doctor when receiving free nhs services with the odd exception like victims of sexual assault/violence.

Actually, women do have that right, but do feel free to start a campaign to have that right removed and let us know how you get on.