Duke It Out: Girl or Guy 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!]

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.)