Am I the only Women who doesn't like to see a Women Doctor?

[MiniTheMinx]

I have been thinking about this for some time. I have often read that women like to see women doctors and of course for some this is tied in with religion and culture, for others maybe a history of abuse or a reasonable expectation that only a women would really understand the inner workings of women, whether it be gynea or even emotional/psychological problems.

However I have to date always had problems with women doctors.

I have come to the conclusion that some women who lack power, authority or autonomy under male domination seek to impose authority over other women. From my experience this happens when there is a perceived weakness such as illness.

I wondered if women really do empower themselves by oppressing other women because they feel so helpless themselves?

Yes. That's exactly why I went into medicine...... to oppress women.

Erk

I have no preference for the gender of my doctor, as long as they are competent. I can see why women do though. I have no experience of what you saying (thankfully)

r3dsquirrel, I would never suggest you had and I am sure you didn't.

That really is a hell of a loaded statement, mini (it doesn't come across as a question)

For most things it doesn't bother me if the doctor is male or female but if I know I am going to need a physical examination that would require a chaperone then I'll ask for a female doctor just to avoid using up two members of staff. I have never found doctors of either sex to cause me a problem.

I highly doubt that a woman who has been through medical training and all that entails (high degree of intelligence and ability required plus the sheer hard graft needed to get there) is likely to be the sort who feels the need to 'oppress' other women due to feeling 'helpless'.

You may as well say that you have a problem with male doctors because they're probably a bunch of perves who go into medicine because it gives them an opportunity to abuse and have power over vulnerable women.

I hate going to the doctors about anything remotely personal. I actually hate it more if its a woman. Somehow if its a man the difference between us makes it ok. If its a woman who may think I'm overreacting, being silly whatever, it's worse.

I don't think it's anything to do with oppression. I think that's ridiculous tbh. Surely half their patients are men? Or have I missed something?

You are wierd and sound like a throw back to the 1940s.

I don't care whether my doctor is male or female, black or white provided they give a good standard of care. I have never had a female doctor as my GP, but I would have no objections. 99% of female locums I have met have been excellent.

I have met female hospital doctors who certainly do not "lack power, authority or autonomy under male domination seek to impose authority over other women". They seek to do their best for their patients.

If I had a GP who sort to impose authority over me or oppress me then I would change doctor prompto whether they were male or female.

I have honestly never experienced what you describe. I have no preference for either sex. It does however please me to hear my 3 and 5 year old sons refer to doctors as "she" when they talk about needing to see the doctor.

I have never felt uncomfortable with a woman doctor. In fact I have had some great women doctors. I can't stand the male-entitlement of a lot of male doctors and sense there's often posturing- 'acting like a doctor' to cover disinterest or possible skiving which makes me uneasy.

Also a lot of people feel uncomfortable with women in authority, and turn a blind eye to men when they are blagging- and think I'm sure he knows what he's doing..

Actually, if you were minded to "empower (yourself) by oppressing other women", I'm sure there are much easier ways of doing it than becoming a doctor.

No that is absolutely the reason why I went into medicine. And all of my friends. There's a society you can join in med school. Chock to the rafters with us otherwise week women lording it over the sickies.

Wow, interesting theory. I've had an assortment of good and bad doctors but can't see any correlation between gender and quality of experience.

I had quite a sadistic midwife once who hurt me quite badly and kept grinning while I was crying and telling me it's just what women have to go through. Not quite sure if that fits the theory, though, I think she was just a rogue wrong'un.

ReallyTired I must be weird.

I agree with foodUnit about men blagging. Male doctors are often overly confident....maybe that might make some people actually feel more confident in their ability. I don't really subscribe to that myself. I don't see men as being better doctors.

I'm sure female doctors who have undergone years of training, who have an excellent education and earn a good salary actually feel very confident in their ability to be a doctor. Would this however make any difference what so ever to their personal lives? Do women who earn more not do the lions share of childcare, domestic stuff, not get sexual harassment off of men, are they immune to rape and domestic violence? In some way do all women feel either in awe, in fear or in some way disempowered by their relationships with men (as a class not primarily as individuals)

I'll give you an example, I ring for appointment I am told 1st of December my father rings fives minutes later and he can have Monday. Same women, same surgery, same booking criteria. Why? Ok that is not the actual doctor but again it is a women in a position to grant something to someone else, she can act with some autonomy and she grants greater privilege to a male? I believe it is because many women whether they admit it or not have been socialised to accept male authority over them, men come first, where does that leave them in relation to how they feel about or how they treat other women?

I can't remember where I read it but years ago when reading about the holocaust I read about the cruelty of the Ukrainians and other prisoners towards the Jews. many were worse than the Germans. Some even volunteered. Why? the theory put forward is that people who are disempowered or in fear seek to have some power over others.

I had quite a sadistic midwife once who hurt me quite badly and kept grinning while I was crying and telling me it's just what women have to go through that is exactly the sort of experience.

I don't really care what the doctor's gender is.

I've seen a variety of doctors of both sexes,and I've never felt a woman doctor was trying to impose authority on me.They've all been ok and most of them have been lovely.To be fair most of the men have been fine as well.

Mini,what problems have you had with women doctors??

I have come to the conclusion that some women who lack power, authority or autonomy under male domination seek to impose authority over other women. From my experience this happens when there is a perceived weakness such as illness.

I have never experienced this.

Are you sure it's not you? Maybe you have issues with other women being "authority figures", and showing weakness (e.g. illness) in front of them?

I really never gave the slightest fuck about my HCP's sex or gender, and why should I?

Yes, some groups identify with their oppressors.

What has any of that got to do specifically with doctors?

And let's say it does, for whatever specious reason, apply to doctors, why does it apply only to female doctors and not male doctors?

Maybe Mini , but I only mention it because it doesn't fit in with my other experiences. And would midwives be in a different category what with them being overwhelmingly predominantly female? Not sure.

The 'disempowered relishing power over others' theory does make a lot of sense when applied to other circumstances though (the bullied becoming bullies) so maybe there's something in it even if it's just a small percentage doing it subconsciously.

Difficult to say, especially when there are also those that counteract the theory by reporting that they prefer females hcps.

I think you would have to actively dislike and mistrust women as a group to come out with a theory like this.

I certainly do not dislike women. Regular posters on FWR boards would I am sure know that to be the case.

"The 'disempowered relishing power over others' theory"

When you consider children who have hurt or in the very rare cases murdered or tortured other children, the perpetrators have in most cases been subject themselves to abuse.

What a weird OP. Yes, women doctors are mini-Hitlers. Is that the response you want?

To be frank it's quite a bizarre theory.

I don't care whether my doctor is a man or a woman. And I don't care, whether they're looking at my chin or my nipple.
You get good and bad in every profession, male or female, it hasn't made a difference in my experience.