Duke It Out: Girl or Guy Gyno?

August 28, 2009 9:00 am     Posted in Body  Lauren H - The New School g+ page

teeth-gyno

"Hm. Maybe this job is better suited for a lady?"

[It's pretty obvious that the average CollegeCandy reader has some very strong opinions. Opinions that she likes to share with everyone on the site. We love a strong woman, so we thought we'd give her a real forum to discuss her thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. Every Friday I'll be featuring a hot topic (like the first-semester boyfriend!) and leaving it up to you, the readers, to duke it out. So, read it and get your debate on in the comments section below!]


By Lauren H

Ok, let’s be honest, no one likes going to the doctor. Throw in a paper gown, putting your legs in stirrups and a “spreader” and it’s no surprise that a lot of us avoid going to the gynecologist like a plague of genital warts. But the truth is that there’s no way to really be in charge of your sexual life unless you bother to stay sexually healthy, and the lady-parts doctor is a necessary part of that.

While we try to give you hand with some of those problems here at College Candy, one of the biggest obstacles between “tear-my-hair-out terrifying” and “not my favorite thing, but bearable” is finding a down-there doctor you like, trust and feel comfortable around – and not surprisingly, a big factor for a lot of ladies is their doc’s gender.

It’s natural that a lot of girls are more comfy having another woman looking at their most private areas than they are having to spread their legs in front of a man. And aside from just the physical exam, there’s also the fact that you need to be comfortable talking about all of your most intimate problems and habits with your gyno, and there are some things that are just easier to say to someone who doesn’t remind you of your dad. Also, no matter how many years of school a man goes through, there’s nothing that can really teach someone what it’s like to  have a hoo-ha except having one; a female doctor definitely has a better chance of having experienced your issues herself, and potentially giving you some first hand insight.

There might be some problems with going to a female gyno, though. To start with, female gynecologists make up only one third of the current American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists membership (though the number is on the rise). Depending on where you live, getting a female doc might mean traveling quite a distance for your appointments, which will only make you less likely to go. Also, the number of female down-there doctors has been steadily rising over the last twenty years, but many of the docs who have been practicing longest (and thus are the most experienced) are men.

And there’s nothing wrong with going to a male doctor. One of the biggest things that women mention when they worry about male gynos is the fact that there is at least an assumed attraction to women, and thus the lady-parts they’re looking at.  But regardless of sexual proclivities, just like any other doc, male gynos are trained to look at our junk as just parts, not as sexy things. And the truth is, no one is going to go through all of the time and expense of becoming a legit gyno just so he can scope out some girl-parts; there are easier ways. (Editor’s Note: like buying me shots at the bar…)

At the end of the day, the only wrong choice you can make about a gynecologist is not to go to one at all. So don’t let the fear of being a little uncomfortable put you – and everyone you sleep with - at risk. To find a gynecologist in your area (male or female) check out the ACOG physician directoryonline or talk to your lady pals and see who they would recommend. It’s really not as bad as you think.

What do you say girls: would you prefer to go to a gyno who has all the same parts as you, or would you rather go to a guy? Do you think that your doc’s gender matters at all? Let us know down below! (Tee hee – down below.)

27 Comments on "Duke It Out: Girl or Guy Gyno?"

  1. C says:
    Fri, 28th Aug 20095:05 am 

    Personally I've always felt more comfortable seeing a male gyno. I guess it's probably because Ive pretty much always had a male doctor no matter the issue. And I just feel more comfortable having a guys hands inside me, rather than a females. :)

  2. erin says:
    Fri, 28th Aug 200912:07 pm 

    I don't really care either way, I have always had a regular male doctor for my overall doctor needs, as a young adult out on my own I go to planned parenthood, where they found something that needed to be removed, not a baby. There Ihave always seen women. So I am in experienced when it comes to male gyno's. I think I would feel safe with a male doctor. But I do often times think of the old saying "it's like going to a mechanic who doesn't own a car". Which I kind of believe, since the male doctor doesn't know what an exam feels like or what normal feels like during while anything women do through down there. He may have patient feed back but it's alot different than first hand. When I had to have tissue removed from my cervix, the whole cervix I was scared, one of the GPN's who was there said "don't worry she removed polyps from me and she did a great job, she's a womderful doctor". It helped to reassure me that this doctor knew what they were doing.

    So really I'm torn, really I think I would take what I could get so long as I felt secure with them.

  3. sauerkraut says:
    Fri, 28th Aug 20097:25 pm 

    Herself says male gyno because the female gyno's are always on leave or are so into part-timing it that she gets the unpleasant experience of having to see someone different every time she needs to be poked around down there. She only wants to show her houch to one person for exams. The knowledge base is pretty much the same for either gender (absent the "guy doesn't know what it feels like," but then, who knows what you feel like except for yourself?)

  4. morgan says:
    Sat, 29th Aug 200911:20 am 

    i just had my first gyno appointment last week and i was told before hand that it would be with a man and when i got there it turned out to be a woman. granted i destroyed my nails waiting in that white room in nothing but the two pieces of paper they gave me to cover with. given my mom's history of cervical cancer it was great to just get it over with. the woman made me slightly uncomfortable cause she looked up at me before the exam and like smiled in this weird way after i had told her i was uncomfortable. i don't know if a man would have been different i just didn't like that look she had, like she was almost laughing on the inside.

  5. Sarah says:
    Wed, 2nd Sep 20097:42 pm 

    I feel most comfortable having a female gynecologist. They have the same parts as us. My doctor knew how to make me feel comfortable the first time i went. She explained how no woman likes going to the gyno and that its something no one wants to do, but it saves lives. It felt more relaxing that she herself also has to go to a gyno too, and knows how uncomfortable the situation is. I also know she isn't looking at me and thinking other things…the only guy looking down there, will be my boyfriend.

  6. Courtney says:
    Thu, 3rd Sep 20097:31 am 

    I have a interesting job where I work at a medical college and am the body for the med students practicing, including gyno exams. In my experience (40 or more students, 5 or more professionals) the males are always better.

  7. jenny says:
    Thu, 3rd Sep 20094:03 pm 

    Its easier to talk to a woman especially is there is something embarassing going on. It's also easier to ask a female doctor a question. they have the same parts that we do so they know what we feel and maybe have gone through the same things.

  8. Heather says:
    Fri, 4th Sep 20098:30 pm 

    i definitly need a female! They know what cramps REALLY are, after all. Plus that whole old man thing… nuh-uh.

  9. Jade says:
    Sat, 5th Sep 20095:33 pm 

    I don't mind male gynos one bit. I really liked my male doctor who performed my sterilization surgery. These doctors have seen and heard it ALL, so there's nothing to be embarrassed about!

  10. Lex says:
    Mon, 7th Sep 200911:02 am 

    See, here's where I'm hesitant. I'd probably not feel comfortable with a guy poking around downthere but I've also heard that since women know what you can take, they also tend to be rougher- guys are more gentle. So I tend to lean towards the idea that, hey, if someone's sticking their hands up my va-jay-jay, they had damn well treat it like the golden egg.

    There's also my extreme phobia of doctors and lack of money that make this pretty much irrelevant at the moment.

  11. Lisa says:
    Sun, 13th Sep 20094:02 am 

    I don't really care if my gyno is male or female. I want the most qualified person for the job. Saying a gynocologist needs to have a vagina to understand female problems is like saying an oncologist needs to have a cancerous tumor to understand the problems with cancer.

  12. Su says:
    Sat, 19th Sep 20097:18 pm 

    I had a guy gyno for my first exam before I was married just because he was my family doctor and has pretty much treated our whole town (not counting the college population) but I had a female nurse there talking to me through the whole thing. So I was fine with it.

  13. Becca- Clarion Unive says:
    Sun, 20th Sep 20095:44 pm 

    I've had both a male and female gyno. I've honestly never had a problem with either… however i do notice a difference:

    I'm more open with a female gyno about things I worry about that tend to be more medical. whereas with a male doctor i'm more open and less embarrassed about my sexual history with a male doctor.

    I'm not sure why but i feel like… if i opened up to a female doctor, she'd judge me and thus offer different treatment. whereas if I'm embarrassed she'd be more likely to soothe me. And i feel that it'd be the opposite with a male doctor…

    does that make sense? haha

  14. Lynn says:
    Sun, 11th Oct 200912:36 pm 

    I find this thread really interesting, because my friend was looking for a new doc last week and asked me about mine. She made an appointment, went, and came back ready to kill me. She was like, "You didn't tell me your doctor was a MAN!!" I guess I just said Dr. Jones when we talked about it? Anyway, she said she felt weird because this unknown man "old enough to be her grandfather" (her words, not mine) was doing the exam.

    For me, the most important thing is having the same doctor every time you go. If Dr. Jones sent in a new resident every appointment – male or female – that's what would bother me.

  15. Rebecca says:
    Thu, 15th Oct 200910:06 am 

    I have a really really deep cervix. I had a male gyno for years with no problems as he was a tall man with long fingers (and common sense). He retired and I was transferred to a female doctor. She was tiny little thing with tiny hands and short fingers. While "in the position" she berated me for my deep cervix like it was something I did on purpose and that meant I was "weird" and "physically unusual" and cranked the metal thing open like 8 cranks and I went home and bled for 2 days. I've never gone to female gyno again.

  16. Hotaka says:
    Fri, 23rd Oct 20095:49 pm 

    I personally always go to male doctors for anything from a cold to a crotch-check. I've even refused to see female docs, nothing personal. For what it's worth, I literally have one female friend and the rest are all guys who I drink with, attend Ren Faires with, etc. I'm basically 'one of the guys', in other words. My biggest issue with females is that I don't want some chick touching me, much less my junk. Plus they're always critical and 'too open' to talking… yick. I don't wanna talk about my junk to anyone, much less some chick I don't know. Additionally, I've found males to be better trained in bedside manner and medicine in general.

  17. Kaitlyn says:
    Sat, 31st Oct 20091:35 am 

    I went for my first one yesterday and I had a hot guy do it for me :) . I got his number and went and had a fun time with him this morning.s

  18. Brittney says:
    Sat, 31st Oct 20091:39 am 

    I personally like having a male because if they are hot I like to get more then their fingers up my pussy. If you know what I mean :)

  19. Quantiva says:
    Sat, 31st Oct 20091:41 am 

    You

    Two

    Are

    Gross

    Dirtbags

    Fucking

    Sluts

  20. Jake says:
    Sat, 9th Jan 20108:36 pm 

    I'm a guy and nothing against male gynos but my fiance will never see a male doctor I know they are highly trained professionals but would feel invaded if another man doctor or not touched my fiance down below. I mean even though some guys won't admit it if their girlfriend fiance or wife sees a male gyno it ticks them off. Its like I would only let a male doctor touch me out of respect. And personal opinion guys should not be allowed to practice gynocology.

  21. axt113 says:
    Thu, 4th Mar 20105:50 pm 

    I sense many closet lesbians (self-loathing?) in this thread

  22. Ann says:
    Fri, 7th May 20101:12 am 

    I’ve never gone and need to go. I never liked the idea of a woman therefore I was more confortable with the idea of a guy until one of my male friends who is in school to be a gyno admitted he was only in it to get paid for what he does best…”Pussy Examinations”. Now, I just don’t know what to do. The pictures of gyno’s in the telephone directory are crazy…the males look like freaks and the females look like dykes. I’m at a standstill for something I need to do.

  23. Eliz52 says:
    Thu, 26th Aug 20102:59 pm 

    Also, if you're worried about STI's a simple urine test is all you need…for some reason your doctors are obsessed with pelvic exams that are completely unnecessary and harmful.

    There really is no good reason to put yourselves through this ordeal.

  24. Eliz52 says:
    Thu, 26th Aug 20107:57 pm 

    I don’t understand why you’re going to gynaecologists at all…it’s completely unnecessary and likely to harm you.
    Our doctors have never recommended routine gyn exams in symptom-free women – the clinical evidence for routine pelvic exams is poor/low and expose you to risk. (more unnecessary and harmful interventions even surgery and the removal of healthy ovaries)
    Routine breast – no evidence they bring down the death rate, but they cause biopsies which some say are a risk factor for cancer.
    Pap tests – get to the facts. The evidence has been clear for years that testing women under 25 is unsafe and unreliable, 25-29 very risky – both groups produce sky high numbers of false positives while cancer in this group is very rare and the few cases are usually missed by smears anyway. (false negatives and usually adenocarcinomas – the pap is bad at picking up this very rare type of cervical cancer)
    Finland has the lowest rates of cc and the lowest rates of over-diagnosis in the world – they offer testing 5 yearly from 30 – 5 to 7 tests in total.
    Virgins, women in lifetime mutually monogamous relationships, women who’ve had full hysterectomies for benign conditions don’t benefit from smears. Some other women (mainly low risk) choose to test infrequently or not at all as the risks exceed the benefits for some of them.

    Birth control and cancer screening are unrelated – American doctors hold pills hostage until you have screening – that is illegal and against the Patient Bill of Rights. Challenge and report these doctors. The Pill requires a blood pressure test and your medical history.
    You are all living medical lives and it’s harmful – you end up having a whopping 600,000 hysterectomies every year (most unnecessary) and 95% of you will have colposcopy and usually a biopsy in your lifetime – when the top risk of this cancer is 1%, that’s awful over-treatment.
    When 99% of women don’t benefit from smears and 0.35% get false negatives – only 0.65% benefit from smears, you need to consider this testing carefully and protect your health and cervix.
    See: Blogcritics and Unnecessary pap smears;
    Dr Joel Sherman’s medical privacy under women’s privacy issues – see articles by American pathologist, Richard DeMay (provides the stats mentioned above) and Angela Raffle, UK screening expert (1000 women need regular screening for 35 years to save ONE woman from cervical cancer – BMJ 2003)

  25. Deborah says:
    Sat, 4th Sep 20101:46 pm 

    Eliz52 is correct, after living overseas for a few years, I found out these exams are of no value but risk our health. I stopped them 10 years ago now and feel great.

    I look at my poor friends and they're all having useless biopsies of the cervix and breasts and a few have lots of damage to the cervix which will cause problems for them if they want children. Foreign doctors will tell you straight, this is about money and extreme defensive medicine and WILL harm you.

    My risk of cervix cancer is very low as my BF & I were virgins at the start – you can't get HPV from a virgin and all cervix cancer is linked to HPV. My risk with paps in this country is a 95% chance of a false positive and biopsy at some stage but my risk from cancer is near zero. Our doctors would still test me every year if they could, they really don't care about my health.

    I go straight to my computer and send an email to my Dr in Amsterdam if I want rational, sound and evidence based advice.

    Open your eyes everyone, you're risking your health with these barbaric exams…if you want to have a pap, only every 5 years and not before you're 30. The Dutch have the option of self-collected sample testing as well – also, with the HPV test (used sparingly because it produces even more false positives) you can space paps out to 7 yearly, even 10 yearly. (unless you change your sexual partner)

    Those websites are excellent, thanks, Eliz52

  26. rhj says:
    Sat, 12th Feb 20112:56 pm 

    I'm of the opinion that men shouldn't be gynos. It just seems wrong. They are men after all. You cannot convince me that they are not sizing up all the thingies they check out. Especially attractive young women. Also, women, in my experience are more considerate during the exam and easier to talk to after. Another thing, I have a close friend whose cousin is training to be a lady doctor and even admitted that although he behaves in a professional manner, he cannot help but feel a thrill while examining a pretty girl's vagina and breasts. Really, how could he not? Thousands of years of biology and reproductive urges!!! Think about it.

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