To think men should not be allowed to be gynaecologists

[CaragianettE]

Just that, really. Saw one last week. He was trying to be helpful, but I really really really don’t want to discuss ‘do you get clots’ ‘do you experience flooding’ ‘do you find intercourse painful’ with a strange man. Yes it would be awkward with a strange woman too, but at least I know she likely has some lived experience of what we are talking about. TBH I also question men’s motives for choosing this job, not just the licence to look at strange women’s vaginas, but I think there’s something deep in the male psyche that just loves laying down the law to women about their reproductive systems. It’s a job for a woman, and while I know men were allowed to train for it in the past, I think they should now be phased out.

So one bad make doctor makes you think the entire male gynaecologist team should be banned?

I had a bad experience with a female, ban them also?

Now we’ve got an issue?

You can choose not to see a male, but you can’t dictate that I can’t.

I had a bad experience with a female, ban them also?

Yep- I had a bad experience with a female so clearly no gender should be gynaecologists - let's get rid of the profession entirely.

Problem sorted….

Not hard to make sure the best for the job are female. Medical places are fought over by huge numbers of very able similarly qualified students. Women should be prioritised for the gynie path after.

Let’s follow that with female doctors being phased out for treating male conditions then shall we. Don’t be so ridiculous. If they know what they’re talking about that’s all that matters!

But I had a bad experience with a female doctor - why is my experience less valid than women who had a bad experience with a male doctor?

Don’t be so bloody ridiculous. Maybe the reason the male gynecologist you saw chose that profession is that his mum had something like cervical cancer when he was a child and it prompted him to want to help other women.

Do you honestly think someone will train for years in a profession purely so that he can look at women’s vaginas all day, or some other strange sexual motivation? That would be the complete definition of a waste of time.

I also wonder whether someone under say 70 can really know what it’s like to be elderly so maybe there should be a minimum age limit of 70 to practice geriatric medicine. And while all paediatricians will have been kids at some point, maybe children would prefer to be treated by an actual child who can understand how they feel.

No it absolutely does not. Having a male gynocologist for intimate humiliating examinations is a hideous, hideous, experience. It should be female by default, if patients want a male they should be the ones feeling uncomfortable and asking for one.

I think you’ve missed a part out?

Hideous for some?

What makes you think your views are all women’s?

But I had a bad experience with a female doctor - why is my experience less valid than women who had a bad experience with a male doctor?

I don’t prefer a woman, why would I want that?

Because you’re in the minority as regards gynocology.

I understand women preferring to have a female gynecologist, and think it's vital that we be allowed that preference. But I would prefer we pull from the total talent pool, not just half of it and look for the best practitioner irrespective of sex.

When we look at the state of midwifery and the shocking treatment of pregnant women, with truly callous attitudes, at units around the country by that profession, I don't think there's a good case to be made that women will be treated better if a profession is kept female. (and yes, I know there isn't a ban on men becoming midwives, but less than 1% are male so it's not men that are the problem there).

Says who? Have you done a survey?

The poll indicates I am not.

The thread is full of women saying they had excellent male gynaecologists. Are they all in the minority too, or do they just stop counting when they disagree with you?

If your argument were strong, you wouldn't need to keep explaining away every woman who disagrees with you

DH vasectomy was done by a woman and her students were also women. Should that also be banned ? YABU

It is perfectly valid to request a female but it is ludicrous to suggest males are banned from the profession.

I am out of my five years now, thank goodness. Two of the others I know have both gone down the normal route like yourself. One got through it twice, but the other one didn't make it the second time. She was my friend's mum and must have been mid to late seventies. By the time they realised it had returned, it had already spread too far.

The third one is a friend of a friend who was diagnosed about a year ago when she found a lump herself. She is actually one of Sascha's patients. She initially had chemotherapy and immunotherapy. She had an allergic reaction to one of the immunotherapy drugs, then later she was pulled off one of the chemotherapy drugs because of concerns. She eventually had a lumpectomy a few weeks ago, but Sascha didn't do a wide enough margin, so some cancer cells remained. The patient then refused to have a second lumpectomy, so after all she had been through for a year, she decided to have a mastectomy which happened about a week or so ago.

I shan't be doing any Googling. I made a decision that was 100% right for me, and you obviously did what was right for you.

Did you have any genetic testing? Only asking because triple negative is often due to a dodgy gene, but they only normally do it for the under sixties and I obviously don't know your age.

Grow up!

But it's not inherently humiliating is it? The humiliation is in your head - most women may be a bit surprised and maybe a little uncomfortable to begin with but take the view that it's a job that needs to be done by a doctor, this person is a doctor, so let's get on with it. If you are so hung up about it that you can't tolerate a male doctor doing it then that's a you problem so you can ask for a female one. Don't make it every other woman's problem by reducing the number of gynaecologists.

Edit: apols that was a reply to French toast, about 20 posts up by the time I posted it.

Grow up.

Urology is not a sex-specific specialty though is it? I'm not arguing either way, but you're comparing apples and oranges.

I’m sure no one on this thread is interested in of posts about our treatment plans? It’s irrelevant!

But my male surgeon was awesome!!

My male gynae was fantastic. No complaints about him at all. I felt very well taken care of by him over the years. I wouldn’t have swapped him for anyone else.

Ah here, the guy was a total misogynist. The way he described some of his female patients was abhorrent.