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.

Man or woman doesn’t bother me. I’m beginning to be a creeped out by instagram though because for no reason I can think of other than it has ESP posts from a male consultant gynaecologist in York cal.wilson have been popping up on my feed in the last week or two
He explained why he chose gynaecology as his specialty and his posts are really interesting and informative. He’s well worth a follow.

I would much prefer to see a female than a male obstetrician/gynaecologist. I would refuse to see a male obgyn if it involved any physical examination and book an appointment for another day if there wasn't a female OBGYN available (unless it was an emergency situation of course, like birth!).

I wonder if history of sexual assault/abuse influences womens opinions on your question OP. I'd assume anyone who had been a victim of sexual assault/abuse with a male perpetrator would find it very difficult to see a male obgyn.

Don't be ridiculous. People are allowed to disagree with you without you insulting them

Do you normally go around calling people handmaids for disagreeing with you?

Oh, and I bet you'd change your tune pretty sharpish if you developed symptoms of something potentially serious/urgent and there were no female gynaes available.

My male midwife saved my baby

I had 2 males wake me up tell me no fibroid existing (oh it doesn’t cause heaviness in the abdomen, numbness, periods all over the place but they’d stuck a coil in anyway after this apparent non problem - I could have cried.

After 3 months the coil was pulled out and put in the best place of clinical waste before it managed to ruin anymore of my life missold.

A year later blisters of pockets of fluid grew in my lower limbs did I have a blood clot, a pulmonary embolism, a raging infection with the intent to go up to the lungs, off to surgery the fibroid after a battle of 2 years died. Under a male orthopaedic surgeon. My periods duly returned to an on time each month given I’m now in my 40’s and I’ve not taken HRT for a whole year odd that. Till the day they put me in the ground the gynae problem they couldn’t be bothered with I feel caused the medical emergency last year.

Can ‘t and won’t salute females either, on 17th March 2025 just before my very urgent rush surgery I’d got a uti due to not taking HRT? They can stick their HRT if they genuinely believe it exists to treat UTI’s… Hilarious when they won’t ever test an under 45 yr old for the menopause.

Women aren’t generally a danger to women/sexual predators, so that doesn’t stand up.

I would never see a male gynaecologist. I use private healthcare and always choose a woman. I think as long as women can request a woman, that’s ok. Some women don’t care, others do and that matters.

On mumsnet, men always make the best midwives, gynaecologists and nursery workers. Men are the bestest of the best. 😂

I think you need to put your big pants on and get comfortable discussing your body and its functions, tbh.

I get everything you’re saying, but I think I also expected a mention of the patient, too, at the end.

The pragmatic approach is to make sure women can always choose a female doctor but the sad thing is men are over represented in this specialism and when half of all doctors trained are now female you have to wonder why this gender imbalance is persisting?

I'm guessing some of it is down to the family 'unfriendliness' of hospital based specialisms putting women off but I don't think that accounts for all of it.

Anyway, it's built in as a feminist to question the motives of men drawn to careers that place them in positions of power over women at their most vulnerable because we know from experience (and the data) that abusers are attracted to just these sort of opportunities - even if they have to train for years and years...

What an absolute dick, I’m so sorry. I hope you complained, but I know in similar circumstance's I haven’t because it took me a certain amount of time to process what happened and by then thought it was too late.

I wouldn't be against a ratio being enforced - say, requiring 70% of gynaecology students to be female, as over half of women prefer female gynaecologists, and very, very few actively prefer men. That would hopefully make it more likely that every woman who wants to see a female gynae would be able to, but it also provides for those who prefer men, and doesn't bar men from the speciality.

I think as mammographers can only be female, there's a precedent set there that it's acceptable for those dealing with intimate female issues to be female. Given the large percentage of women who have been sexually violated by men, who have religious objections, or who simply feel uncomfortable seeing a man, I think it's proportionate to ensure there's a large majority of female gynaes.

Oh please don't be ridiculous. I've been waiting 18 months for a uterine polyp removal as it is. If I bleed for much longer I'm going to evaporate.
We need every gynaecologist we can get - and more!

I dont care tbh aslong as they can treat me appropriately and professionally and potentially save my life with serious gynaecological conditions.

This is like when those TSA body scanners came in and people were up in arms about being perved on.

If a male (or female) OBGYN was banking the visual of inserting a speculum in me for their wank fodder later that day, I would file that under “not my problem”. If they get off on that, or me described my discharge, best of luck to them. I couldn’t really bring myself to waste energy caring about someone doing something I’d have no knowledge of.

Given there has to be a chaperone present for any physical examination, the risk of you getting assaulted whilst sedated are pretty low

Yeah, that one. Lovely guy…

https://www.lyricsfreak.com/a/adam+kay+suman+biswas/menstrual+rag_20596243.html

I won’t post the link to his song about children with down syndrome.

Patsy - I hate gynaecologists. A man who can look you in the vagina but never in the eye.

I think that’s an unnecessary, unpleasant comment. If you think those who disagree with you are ‘handmaids’ (though you’re using the term incorrectly as well) then it seems that you don’t need an AIBU thread. AIBU is meant for when you feel like you’re probably or possibly right but aren’t totally sure and are at least slightly open to the views of others.

Totally fine to request a female doctor if you feel more comfortable that way, but not ok to ban men from the profession in my opinion. Reading about some people’s negative experiences, however, perhaps more needs to be done around cultural change and regulation.

In Atwood’s novel, the handmaids have no choice in their situations, some rebel, and many wish to, so it’s not a suitable analogy.

Blanket statements like this are so naive. There will always be some predatory men who jump through hoops in order to be in an environment where they can satisfy their urges.

Why would a predatory, intelligent man not enter a highly paid career where he can also potentially sexually violate women in a way that isn't easily picked up on/called out, if he tiptoes along the border of 'appropriateness'? It makes perfect sense. They get both money, and the opportunity to covertly prey on women.

Obviously that will (hopefully) only be a very small minority of men in the industry, but it does happen.

I can't agree.

I've had period issues since I was 11, with heavy flooding, and huge fibroids for 30 years. I suffer terribly. Most, if not all of my consultants have been men, and it doesn't make a blind bit of difference to me.

Dude, some women have penises.

I try my best to only see female doctors for any woman's stuff. In fact, female doctors in general I prefer, but I don't mind male doctors for non-reproductive stuff. I'm just more comfortable with female doctors.

Not sure about phasing them out of gynae stuff. I don't think there are enough doctors to do that and besides, many women are OK with male gynaes.

I understand you having questions about motivations. But the truth is that most male gynaes probably don't have ulterior motives and in fact get bored of looking at vag after vag after vag.

There might be some with ulterior motives though.

Has it never crossed your mind that if you had a woman treating you, then maybe you wouldnt have been forced to suffer this long?

I really hope that this is a joke.

I think giving women the option of being able to be treated by a female (but potentially the waits associated with that) is good, but wouldn’t want to ban men. I’ve had both amazing and bad experiences.
my current gyno is a guy, and I’d previously paid for private appts with only women due to some bad experiences,I went with him very reluctantly as a last ditch attempt as no one else was listening to me, but he was the first one that took my issues seriously and was like you shouldn’t have to live like that.