Has anyone ever had a mammogram or smear by a male nurse?

[strawberrisc]

Just posting here for traffic.

But your sexualising something that isn’t sexual. A Doctor/nurse looking at/examining your vagina, your leg, your ear or you breast is NOT a sexual process. They are not silently sitting there fantasising about shagging you or getting off on it. (Obviously there are always weirdos in the world in any profession but I’m talking about the majority)

Why would a man want to be a gynaecologist? Well - why wouldn’t he? Why would a woman want to work in urology? Being able to help patients overcome illness is likely the number one reason.

There are a few people on this thread with really warped views on men and the medical profession. If you find a male doctor examining you makes you feel so uneasy that you then can’t stand your husband touching you then you need to really look at what underlying issue is causing such an extreme reaction because that is not a normal way to respond to a completely non-sexual medical procedure.

I have been examined by both male and female doctors and my gynaecologist was male. I was asked both times if it was ok and I don’t have any issues with it. I have found the males doctors I have had to have been much gentler and so pretty much pain free whereas some of the women doctors a bit rough and more matter of fact. That’s just at my practice though and so if I had a choice I would obt for the male doctor.

It is absolutely OK for a woman to want a woman to perform intimate examinations and procedures. This does not mean she "has a problem" or should provide a detailed explanation. The fact that that is what she wants should be enough. It's one of the things that women have campaigned and fought for- and something we are in danger of losing. Take your eye off your rights and they are gone.

Not a smear, but a male midwife did my internal while I was in labour. My mum used to get her smears done by a male gp

Not a mammogram or smear, but a friend of mine had a breast lump and I realised I didn't properly know hoe to check so I booked an appointment with my lovely doctor (just happens to be male and a similar age) and he checked and showed me how to check. He's ace, he's our family doctor.

The only GP at my practice who can do a coil is a man and he did mine. I'd have preferred a woman. When I had a breast lump I asked for and got a woman GP. My first smear was done my a male GP when I was 17 but I've always had women since and, as it's screening rather than symptomatic I would wait for an appointment with a woman rather than have a man.

No mammos yet but in the UK only female radiographers can train in mammo. This might change by the time I get called up but I still think it would be massively female dominated.

But your sexualising something that isn’t sexual. A Doctor/nurse looking at/examining your vagina, your leg, your ear or you breast is NOT a sexual process.
They are not silently sitting there fantasising about shagging you or getting off on it. (Obviously there are always weirdos in the world in any profession but I’m talking about the majority)

I can't believe people are this naive.

Yes, for the majority of doctors, examining you is not a sexual process. Same as the majority of men in any profession are not sexual predators and don't go round assaulting women.

But some doctors are sexual predators and do go round sexually assaulting women. It's male doctors who do this. Don't believe me? Google it. Or follow the link up thread to stories of women assaulted by doctors.

Yes there are weirdos in any profession. What do weirdos who sexually assault people have in common? They're almost all men.

You can chose to not worry about this as it's a small risk or mitigate this risk by only having female HCPs. Both are valid responses.

But don't tell women who are reacting to the very serious global problem of male sexual abuse of women that their views are warped. You are the one with warped views as you believe in a very naive and idealised version of how the world works.

It doesn't matter why a woman might want a woman HCP. If she wants one she should have one.

BertrandRussell absolutely.

The Dr doing my colposcopy was male. I couldn't give a fuck as long as they are qualified!

Yes. When I was young and didn’t feel confident about speaking up.

Not by a nurse, but many other gynae and breast procedures by a male doctor - but for the last 20 years there has always been a chaperone of some description.

I wouldn't be bothered if it was a man, but I completely accept there are women for whom this would be an issue.

I’d prefer a female HCP for intimate examinations. It’s not because I think females will necessarily be better than males, but I find such examinations difficult and I would be more self conscious with a male HCP. And sometimes the faffing around getting a chaperone when it’s a male HCP makes me even more self conscious, daft as that is.

We are socialised into considering nudity around the opposite sex as a matter of privacy and dignity (and personal safety) and I can’t just switch that off. Having said that, if needs must I’d get on with it as many people have to do regularly.

I used to not like the idea and then child number 2 happened and at one point due to the placenta being stuck i had one male with hia hand up and two more observing. Cured me of any awkwardness after that

It doesn't matter why a woman might want a woman HCP. If she wants one she should have one.

And I agree with this.

I’ve had one smear by a male Dr with a female nurse to chaperone. Not sure wha he did but it was painful during, after and I was also bleeding. Sometime later I got the letter asking me to come back for another smear as he hadn’t done it properly. I didn’t go back, didn’t have another smear for 8 years.

It goes without saying that women also have a right to a competent HCP, regardless of sex.

Dunno what your problem is, Bertrand.

Don't you know that men and women are all just people, socialised in exactly the same ways? And that male privilege is just not a thing?

Er except of course for transwomen who are not exactly the same as men because they are women which is totally different to being a man.

#woke

Oh yeah, and number of male obs gynae consultants at my local hospital - around 60% men

Number of female andrology consultants - that would be 0.

Now why would that be? It wouldn't have anything to do with centuries old medical culture which disenfranchised, controlled and sometimes abused women, coupled with a wider context of a toxic patriarchal society which leads men to believe it is right and natural that they should view and touch women's bodies even when the woman might be uncomfortable?

Nah. It is, no doubt, just coincidence.

Had a male GP for vaginal exam. To be honest he was way more careful than the nurse who did my last smear. She jammed the speculum in, whizzed the stick bit about around and sent me on my way. (At least it was over quickly 😓)
The most awkward part of having a male GP exam was the poor receptionist dragged in as my chaperone. She was awkwardly stood there wondering where to look.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with requesting a female if you're not comfortable with a male, and don't let anyone convince you otherwise. I totally get it's nothing sexual, for me i think it's just about feeling more comfortable with someone who's got the same bits!

FWIW, I work in the breast screening programme and there are no male mammographers in my region.

Thanks for the non judgemental feedback 🙄. Lots of women would prefer female only medics for religious and cultural reasons. If a woman has experienced abuse of any kind at all, she simply does not get over it that easily, neither should she be forced to just to suit the job prospects of men.

Women do not need a reason for wanting a woman HCP.

No, never.

Would not feel comfortable with this and would request a female nurse.

Dd was delivered by a male consultant. To be quite honest I didn't even think about their gender.