Sexual discrimination?

[Cleikumstovies]

If a person refuses to speak to a receptionist because of their sex, and demands one of the other sex, is that sexual discrimination?

Ds working at a GP surgery - only man, with ten women taking calls for appointments. Patients call for appointments. Staff ask " do you mind giving me an idea what the issue is?". Most happy to say, some say it's personal - not a problem for the staff. If it's "lady bits" the staff will book a double appointment to allow a PV exam. No pressure on patients.

In the last two weeks he has had four women upon hearing his voice say " I need to speak to a woman, not a man". We'd appreciate thoughts before he makes a complaint.

@Spellingchallenge You raise a very good point.

"HE SHOULD NOT BE DISCUSSING THESE OR ANY OTHER CALLS WITH YOU"

If he is breaching patient confidentiality he will have more to worry about than sexual discrimination!

Are you his Mum or his Dad?

BTW its 'sex' discrimination.

@FOJN I absolutely agree with you, it should always be patient choice. And yes, if a patient says can I speak to a female and there is one on duty then no problem to transfer. Mind you, we sometimes had patients only wanting to speak to one particular receptionist and that can become a problem too (for entirely different reasons).

Seriously? You, and he, have no idea why those women made that request. And no, it is not discrimination, it's patient choice

If he, and you, can't accept that then he needs another job.

Whilst you are here, he also needs to stop talking to you about ANYTHING patients say. He will have had orientation about confidentiality, he needs to heed it.

You say they're not interested - but the OP's son is already talking to his mother about patients. I'm concerned by a man who cannot even understand how some (not all) women might not want to discuss very private issues with a man on the phone.

Your son is of working age OP, back off and get your own life and interests rather than obsessing over how to force women to cater to your precious little soldier.

If they were refusing to tell them their names or something then yes they could be denied an appointment on the basis that he won't tell them what they need to know to book the appointment, but he doesn't need to know their health issues. There is no law that says you can't have a GP appointment without revelling your needs to the receptionist....

What on earth does Trump have to do with someone wanting to discuss their health issues with someone who is the same sex?
Can you really not understand why some women would prefer to only discuss their private medical issues with another women?

The patients are not his employer. Who would he complain to and what is his complaint?

Is it some (quite stupid) people think anything bad = Trump?

It's the only theory I've got that explains why the OP seems to think that wanting to talk to a woman about your female health issue is 'Trumpian'

If your son complains, what would he be looking for as a suitable resolution to his complaint?

It’s one of the most ridiculous things I’ve read. And that’s saying something 😂

Its very unlikely they are asking to speak to a woman to book the appointment. They are asking to speak to a woman so that they feel more comfortable answering the "what is it about" question.

Nothing more outraged than a man who thinks he is being swxually discriminated against.

Btw sexual discrimination would be being choosy about who you have sex with. Ignorant slip, or Freudian?

That women of all ages, fifteen, eighty-two are forced to tell a twenty year old man that they need to see a doctor because they have an STD or they have been raped or a painful rash underneath their breasts presumably.

For that is his right as a man badly raised by the OP.

I know to you he's a professional and lovely man who has no qualms with hearing and helping these issues but to everyone else he's a man who they don't want to share their personal details with. We are in 2025, women don't have to put up with making ourselves uncomfortable for the sake of men's comfort now!

I don’t have a problem with describing my issue to a male or female but I understand that some women might.

Surely you can see that?

I so want to know why it is Trumpian to request a same-sex GP receptionist. I mean, at a guess, I'm thinking he would want an opposite sex receptionist that he could tell all about his itchy willy or whatever.

If your son can’t understand why people might want a same sex receptionist in this situation then I’m not sure a job in a doctors surgery is right for him.

I’d like to know what the hell he’s doing in that job at all, if this very basic and understandable differentiation outrages him in this way
If anyone is carrying on in anything like a Trump-adjacent manner, it’s surely him, placing his personal feelings (and very questionable ones they are too) above the simple needs of women in a flipping medical situation.

The phrase that applies here is ‘male entitlement’. As per usual

There are too many things that are offputting about dealing with NHS medical practices and doctors without the added intrusion of receptionists asking patients what their personal health matter is.

It's about having respect and providing a service to people rather than making them feel they are there to answer personal questions and cater to the institution's demands and requirements. Women should be free to choose and not be asked such questions by administrative staff.