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.

Will you also van lesbians from being gynaecologists too ?
Because obviously doctors are all sex mad individuals only interested in getting kicks out of looking at their patients genitalia

I don’t know if I 100% agree but just this week I went for a small gynae procedure and my consultation had been with a female gynaecologist. The conversation was very “I” will do this procedure and whilst I am there “I” will also do something else because this is an opportunity to have a look around.

I arrived to the appointment to find out it was a male gynaecologist doing the procedure who I first met when I was already in a gown. It did make me uncomfortable and he didn’t end up doing the procedure I originally went in for, instead just doing the quite invasive extra procedure that I didn’t really need. I do feel he didn’t do the original procedure because as a man he did not appreciate what it is like to have those symptoms.

Why not? If most women don't care (but if forced to choose, would mostly choose females), and most of the rest actively prefer females, then surely we should want the majority of gynaecologists to be female?

A quarter of women wanting female gynaes is not a small number, and the more male gynaes there are, the more likely that they'll have to wait longer for treatment. It only makes sense to have more females than males!

I hate the fact that my gynae is a man who has NO understanding of what I’m going through. He has “lived experience” through the women he works with - none of whom have my issues. So how can they be trusted to understand???

YANBU to not want a male gynaecologist.

YABU to suggest that men who choose that profession are in some way weird.

YABU to call people who disagree with you handmaids. Maybe your views don’t represent the majority? Even if they do, maybe perfectly reasonable people can have a different opinion. If you can’t appreciate that then there’s very little point in a discussion.

For all those people saying that they prefer these male gynaecologists. Bear in mind, my gynaecologist was stupid enough to talk about comparing my vagina to other women's, it doesn't mean the others aren't thinking it. Men do love a ranking system.

You don’t have to see a male gynae OP. Request a female one for future appointments

Adam Kay was clearly very dismissive of women.

YANBU Op, to not want a male gyne. I totally understand and agree with what you've written. I wouldn't ban them tho, that'd make some men want to be one more, complain etc. Then as we see here, some women don't mind them.

You're treating "if forced to choose, many would choose female" as equivalent to "they care strongly about the doctor's gender." Those aren't the same thing.

Someone can have a mild preference when asked in a survey but be perfectly happy seeing either in real life. The fact that 58–71% reported no preference suggests that for most women, gender is not a decisive factor.

The flaw in your reasoning is that it treats the gender of the doctor as more important than the availability of qualified doctors. If there were enough female gynecologists to meet demand, then perhaps you could have that discussion.

But if limiting the number of male gynecologists to keep them "in the minority" as you put it results in fewer gynecologists overall- which it absolutely will, it will cause longer waiting lists, reduced access to care, or staffing shortages, and women's healthcare will suffer and more people will end up with undiagnosed or untreated cancers and other serious female health issues.

If 60-70% of women genuinely have no preference, then excluding or discouraging a large pool of capable doctors to satisfy the preferences of a minority could actually make the majority worse off through longer waits and reduced choice.

Health outcomes are going to nosedive for women, not get better!

I paid privately to see a gynaecologist who is a man when I was messed around by the NHS (again), I chose him because of his world class expertise and reputation in the field not his sex. YABU

That doesn't surprise me whatsoever. The fact he actually felt comfortable enough to say it too - grim all round.

Yabu
They are interested in medical matters and getting a diagnosis right. And their expertise in doing so.
What I want is competence and skill. If that means a man, fine.
I would expect a qualified doctor who is a woman to be able to treat a man.

The on call female gyna nearly killed me and my daughter during labour, my normal gyna (seen for years male) was at my bedside as soon as on shift checking I was ok.

I know which one I would have preferred in that moment!

That being said I couldn’t give 2 hoots as long as it stops the pain I’ve suffered for 25 years!

I don't think it's realistic to ban male gynaecologists obviously, however I don't think OP is unreasonable to feel this way. Men commit sexual crimes every day, what about that surgeon who had a fetish for amputation that led to him to giving himself a disease that would mean he'd need his legs chopped off.

i'm sure most male gynaecologists are good men, however the basis of probability means there are undoubtably some freaks in the mix.

You sound like a wife from Gilead.

No men near our precious fertile handmaids

Did you report this gynaecologist? You should have done.

Yes, absolutely.

This gynaecologist will be allowed to continue to practice if he wishes: A Melbourne gynaecologist who told a patient her vagina was “nice” and looked “just like an Australian one” will not have his registration cancelled.

And I linked this one about inappropriate comments up thread.

Interestingly, this study from 2025 found that male OBGYNs get more complaints than females, with 9% of females having ethics complaints (what sexual misconduct would come under, along with other issues) vs 23% of males.

I do agree. I had to have a biopsy and later a lletz procedure, all done by a male gyno, when I was 25. He was a very cold man, who assured me it was not painful, when I fainted from the pain and blood loss. It was the worst procedure I have ever had and I feel he had no idea.

luckily during the biopsy I had the most wonderful female nurse, who literally held me and stroked my head as she knew how awful the experience was.

i will always ask for a female doctor going forward. I do not understand why men want to specialise in this.

12 pages on, and the OP hasn't come back.

I think this is a silly suggestion.

I have had gynae issues since I was a teenager such as endometriosis and adenomyosis and I have been looked after by many gynae consultants over the years.

The best one was a man who finally did my partial hysterectomy when I was 45 and was nothing but kind and supportive and got me my life back after years of misdiagnosis, anaemia and my chronic pain being dismissed.

I also came across unsympathetic and dismissive female gynae consultants so frankly gender has nothing to do with receiving good care.

Male gynaecologists will also ask for a female nurse to be present if they need to conduct intimate examinations.

You can always choose to go private if you only want to deal with women and select your consultant.

Not at all.

I'm not suggesting we ban or remove men at the expense of the number of gynaecologists available. I'm suggesting that as we go forward, we should prioritise female trainees over male, at a ratio of perhaps 60 - 70%, if possible.

Actually , whilst I completely get the nervousness around men as I share that, all the male gynaecologists I have interacted with have been gentler, kinder, and more empathetic than any of the female ones. I know that is just anecdotal, but the men have been far more sensitive, respectful and considerate to my embarrassment/awkwardness when doing internal exams (with a female companion at my request) than any of the women.

Weird and childish take and the comparison is moot- Women generally aren’t worried about sexual violence from lesbians, but they do worry about being attacked by strange men. In the context of gyne examinations and treatment, preferring a female practitioner is not about worries around sexual interest or attraction it’s about wider knowledge of how some men discuss female body parts, treat women in general and dismiss their concerns. That inability to have empathy through having similar body parts, for me, augments concerns about dismissal of women’s experiences and how seriously some males take reports of symptoms and treatment reactions.

It’s always very tempting to want someone for an advisory consulting job, almost of any kind, who somehow has lived or direct experience. So I get why you’re tempted to think that someone who is looking at vaginas needs to have one themselves. Indeed, the one man I know who became a gynaecologist was an absolute knob end at school and couldn’t hold a conversation with a girl. God knows what he’s like but he’s advanced in his profession

With any endeavour personal experience can both be useful or it can serve to close peoples minds. And not having that direct experience can result in a fresh, objective, and more open-minded perspective. By way, of example I never had PMT so I’m really unsympathetic to my daughters complaining about PMT.

There are plenty of dismissive, unempathetic, not very good female gynaecologists. There are clearly some amazing ones too who are using their own experiences and their platform to highlight things like endometriosis and issues with menopause.

With any medical professional, and particularly around gynaecology, you often need to fight to be heard. Choose your gynaecologist based on their reputation and how they make you feel, not whether they’re male or female.