Male Gynecologists

[jayem]

I'd like to hear the reasons why a straight male would decide to embark on a journey to become a gynaecologist

I'm not an OB-GYN, but I am a health care provider. There is something about delivering a baby that really hooks some people. It can be quite a high to bring a new life into the world. Your patients are usually healthy, and generally there is a good outcome. It's a "happy" field of medicine. One downside is that the hours can be horrendous. And the high malpractice risk over the last few decades has made the field a lot more stressful. Despite all this, the gender makeup of the specialty is changing. I'd have to research the exact numbers, but I believe that over half of all OB GYN residents are now female. So if anyone doesn't want a male OB, there'll be lots of choices.

The OP is entitled to her opinion, but it's pejorative and awfully narrow-minded. I've examined many, many women in the last 35 years. Whenever I do a pelvic exam I always have a female assistant in the room as a chaperone. A well-trained assistant is an absolute must. She helps position the patient in the stirrups, adjusts the draping and lighting, and has the instruments and supplies close at hand. A skilled, empathetic assistant will put the patient at ease, and make her feel protected. And having a chaperone also protects me, should a patient ever claim anything inappropriate occurred. I can't imagine any male provider doing such exams without one.

 

[Bushido216]

I'd like to hear the reasons why a straight male would decide to embark on a journey to become a gynaecologist, not that their reasons matter too much as long as they are professional and can do the job, but just curious really what they have to say for themselves!

Caveat: I have zero sources for this, and may well be wrong.

But,

Female doctors aren't exactly a commonality, and certainly weren't 10 and 20 years ago. Your OB/GYN was likely to be male just because most doctors were likely to be male.

 

[Etsi]

I have to say that when it comes to OBs, I've had the same experience as a previous poster, that females were generally rough and did not listen to what I had to say as an INFORMED patient. Male OBs were more respectful. I have had excellent care with female midwives though (and I'm not against male midwives).

 

[bliz]

You have asked a hard question. There were no pap smears in the bible at all. If you read throughout the Bible, you will find that midwives delivered babies.

Are you suggesting that we all forgo any medical care or procedures that were not used in Biblical times?

 

[Bushido216]

The Bible never mentions Jesus bathing himself.

Forgo cleanliness!

 

[Gracchus]

I have worked as an EMT and as a nursing assistant. Genitalia don't excite me. Familiarity breeds indifference.

And I have had both male and female physicians. I prefer the competent ones.

But, if you find that the gender of of health care provider matters, make your decisions accordingly.

 

[IntolerantSociopath]

I have worked as an EMT and as a nursing assistant. Genitalia don't excite me. Familiarity breeds indifference.

Yes, it's the same thing with breasts. It's not that breasts are inherently erotic and that's why they're covered, it's that they're covered and thus become coveted.

 

[Singermom]

I'm not an OB-GYN, but I am a health care provider. There is something about delivering a baby that really hooks some people. It can be quite a high to bring a new life into the world. Your patients are usually healthy, and generally there is a good outcome. It's a "happy" field of medicine. One downside is that the hours can be horrendous. And the high malpractice risk over the last few decades has made the field a lot more stressful. Despite all this, the gender makeup of the specialty is changing. I'd have to research the exact numbers, but I believe that over half of all OB GYN residents are now female. So if anyone doesn't want a male OB, there'll be lots of choices.

The OP is entitled to her opinion, but it's pejorative and awfully narrow-minded. I've examined many, many women in the last 35 years. Whenever I do a pelvic exam I always have a female assistant in the room as a chaperone. A well-trained assistant is an absolute must. She helps position the patient in the stirrups, adjusts the draping and lighting, and has the instruments and supplies close at hand. A skilled, empathetic assistant will put the patient at ease, and make her feel protected. And having a chaperone also protects me, should a patient ever claim anything inappropriate occurred. I can't imagine any male provider doing such exams without one.

I, for one, really appreciate this post.

I have to say that when it comes to OBs, I've had the same experience as a previous poster, that females were generally rough and did not listen to what I had to say as an INFORMED patient. Male OBs were more respectful.

...and I have had the exact opposite experience. I have never had a male doctor who was gentler or more respectful than the female doctors I have seen. I had a male doctor when I had my pregnancy that ended in miscarriage, and I would give just about anything within my power to remove THAT nightmare - and I mean the way the doctor treated me even more than the experience itself - from my memory.

Viva la difference, huh?

 

[Etsi]

I, for one, really appreciate this post.



...and I have had the exact opposite experience. I have never had a male doctor who was gentler or more respectful than the female doctors I have seen. I had a male doctor when I had my pregnancy that ended in miscarriage, and I would give just about anything within my power to remove THAT nightmare - and I mean the way the doctor treated me even more than the experience itself - from my memory.

Viva la difference, huh?

I appreciated his post as well. And yes! Viva la difference! Each provider is different as is each patient. It doesn't mean that anyone of the other gender is incompetent or that we might not end up in a situation that may change our minds. The basis of the OP is just way off. Now if it's her personal preference, fine. It's obvious she is a virgin...or I should say that it is obvious she never gave birth. You don't always get to choose who is around when you birth. You would be surprise who all may end up in the room. Giving birth is one occasion where a) you eventually don't care WHO is there b) everyone's seen it, on their side of it they see it over and over and over, and there is no appeal (I've seen it and there is nothing in a gyn exam or delivery that appeals to the lust). CONTEXT is everything!

 

[Etsi]

I have worked as an EMT and as a nursing assistant. Genitalia don't excite me. Familiarity breeds indifference.

And I have had both male and female physicians. I prefer the competent ones.

When it boils right down to it....PRECISELY! You said it well.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

The one female OB/GYN that I had was lousy at best and horrific at worst. She was a horrible doctor and I'd never go back to her. I wouldn't, however, tell every other woman that they needed to go to a male OB/GYN.

I've had men as my OB/GYN for the last 18 years and never once have I had any issues with them. A male doctor delivered each of my babies...and come to think of it, with each birth I had about 9 people in there watching (it was a teaching hospital), some of whom were male.

Didn't bother me a bit.

 

[JustMeSee]

We all have personal preferences for various reasons. I am more motivated by my physician's competency and bedside manner than gender.

Though I disagree with the OP's argument, I think it is a great subject for discussion.

 

[EvangelicalChristian]

So then don't go to a male gynecologist. You have that option. However in some countries there is no option.

I was a paramedic. I've cut a lot of clothes off of people. Never once did I ever become sexually aroused in doing so. Is it possible? I guess so but I think in most cases it's unlikely.

Let me ask the Original Poster do you ask a female physician if she's a lesbian before letting her examine you? I am actually serious about this question. For years my general practitioner was a homosexual male, he examined me on a number of occasions and never once did I feel uncomfortable or awkward.

 

[Anon9000GET]

Vaginas are kind of gross, yo. I do not envy gynecologists regardless of gender.

^This^

Call me weird but vaginas are one of the less attractive parts of a woman.

 

[dinonum]

I think that generally speaking it should also be said that many women are aroused by the female figure, whether they are lesbian or not. They find it sexually arousing.

So the discussion then becomes that maybe we shouldn't have a OBGYN at all, right?

 

[dinonum]

You have asked a hard question. There were no pap smears in the bible at all. If you read throughout the Bible, you will find that midwives delivered babies.

While I agree, I've pointed out that even women can be sexually aroused by other females. Also, birth is rarely a sexual experience at all. You don't typically hear of males saying "Oh yes, when the placenta exited the vagina I just could barely contain myself!"

Leviticus 18 prohibits nakedness in front of the opposite sex except for your spouse. A pastor preached against male gynecologists 4 years ago and you can find his sermon at http://www.faithfulwordbaptist.org/gynecologists.html. I want to make it very clear that there are many things I don't agree with him. I think he did a great job preaching on male gynecologists. However, I feel that his last sentence was a little too harsh because many Christians have never thought about this. We have been taught that we should not question anything the medical industry does.

I always find this type of discussion interesting because it takes a lot of assumption to make it work.

The Bible never clearly states that nudity in and of itself is shameful, but tends to speak of sexual and sensual things and nudity being shameful.

The link relies solely on men being perverted and connecting the vagina with sexual and lustful thoughts, which I find incredibly demeaning towards men in general as well.

If it is okay for women to be naked in front of male gynecologists, why is it wrong for them to be naked in front of other men such as their pastor, counselor, plumber, etc. Medicine doesn't make it blindly acceptable.

Why would my pastor, counselor, plumber, etc. be looking at my naked body?

My mom went to a male gynecologist for many years. But after I brought this issue to her attention as an adult, she realized that male gynecologists were wrong. She has not been to a male gynecologist in about 11 years now. I asked her if she thought my dad could be a gynecologist and stay pure in thoughts all of the time and she said no. I personally think that Christian women who have gone to male gynecologist in the past should simply switch to a female gynecologist. I believe my mom was an innocent victim of the medical industry.

See and I dislike how judgmental and cruel this post is. The medical industry isn't a self-seeking, self-pleasuring, rapist perverted industry and I find it very disgusting you'd say that about people who very well may be Godly men.

You should check out what a male doctor who was convinced that gynecological exams were wrong and gave up doing them at Male Gynecologist - Topix. I think he was a family practice doctor.

What is described in this link is merely bad experiences and even an ex OBGYN describing coworkers who were honest about certain things being arousing. Momentary arousal has been looked down on by Christianity so often, and I also find this quite disgusting. It's a cruel means of suppressing something that cannot be helped. What of male pastors who are momentarily turned on by certain patronages? What of males who drive cars and get momentarily aroused by a woman speeding by?

Basically all of this relies on assumptions that:

A. Nudity is inherently shameful.
B. Arousal is inherently shameful.
C. All men are aroused by nudity under all circumstances.

Sounds like a LOT of assumption to form such an opinion if you ask me.

 

[PrivateWoman]

So then don't go to a male gynecologist. You have that option. However in some countries there is no option.

I was a paramedic. I've cut a lot of clothes off of people. Never once did I ever become sexually aroused in doing so. Is it possible? I guess so but I think in most cases it's unlikely.

Let me ask the Original Poster do you ask a female physician if she's a lesbian before letting her examine you? I am actually serious about this question. For years my general practitioner was a homosexual male, he examined me on a number of occasions and never once did I feel uncomfortable or awkward.

I certainly don't want a lesbian female ob/gyn. Most female gynecologists are not lesbians. You can easily discern if they are one. I know that one female ob/gyn resident near where I live is a lesbian. I certainly would not want to go to her. The best thing to do is to do some research on a female gynecologist before you select her.

I feel that paramedics cut off too many clothes. I feel that paramedics should be more sensitive to ensuring patients' modesty. In many cases, it is not really necessary to take clothes off. There is a good article about how medical professionals should work hard to ensure patients' modesty at For Medical Professionals. There is nothing specifically about paramedics on this web page though.

 

[PrivateWoman]

I appreciated his post as well. And yes! Viva la difference! Each provider is different as is each patient. It doesn't mean that anyone of the other gender is incompetent or that we might not end up in a situation that may change our minds. The basis of the OP is just way off. Now if it's her personal preference, fine. It's obvious she is a virgin...or I should say that it is obvious she never gave birth. You don't always get to choose who is around when you birth. You would be surprise who all may end up in the room. Giving birth is one occasion where a) you eventually don't care WHO is there b) everyone's seen it, on their side of it they see it over and over and over, and there is no appeal (I've seen it and there is nothing in a gyn exam or delivery that appeals to the lust). CONTEXT is everything!

You can certainly choose who is present for your birth. It is best to choose a midwife and/or an all female ob/gyn practice. I know that all doctors are on rotation in a practice. There is a good directory of all female ob/gyn practices at http://patientmodesty.org/obgyndirectory.aspx. I definitely don't recommend the local hospital that is about 10 minutes from my house because their ob/gyn team consists of 3 male gynecologists and 1 female gynecologist. It is best to drive about 35 minutes away to an all female ob/gyn practice.

I know that there are some gross things about childbirth, but that doesn't make right for a male gynecologist to practice. When I was in high school, we had a childbirth video in a science class and some of the boys giggled. They enjoyed seeing the woman's birth canal. What does that tell you?

 

[JustMeSee]

I know that there are some gross things about childbirth, but that doesn't make right for a male gynecologist to practice. When I was in high school, we had a childbirth video in a science class and some of the boys giggled. They enjoyed seeing the woman's birth canal. What does that tell you?

It tells me that teenagers giggle when they feel awkward and at inappropriate times.

Honey, I understand that you had bad experiences with a male GYN, but you are making some broad accusations about men in general (and physicians in particular). The vast majority of male medical personnel are only looking out for your well being. They are not out to molest you.

Feel free to see whatever competent GYN you wish. That is what is important.

 

[Gracchus]

I feel that paramedics cut off too many clothes. I feel that paramedics should be more sensitive to ensuring patients' modesty. In many cases, it is not really necessary to take clothes off.

I used to be an EMT. And sometimes you don't know what is necessary until it is done. You might not find all the sources of bleeding, or all the fractures, unless you check pretty thoroughly.

Failure to check can get you sued.

I know that there are some gross things about childbirth, but that doesn't make right for a male gynecologist to practice. When I was in high school, we had a childbirth video in a science class and some of the boys giggled. They enjoyed seeing the woman's birth canal. What does that tell you?

Well it tells me that some high-school boys are insufficiently grounded in anatomy. Get real. Physicians, paramedics, nurses, and nursing assistants may include some unsuitable persons, but these are weeded as revealed. And most of them are some years out of high school, and probably weren't among the gigglers any how.