A gynecologist in southern France has been suspended for a month after saying he couldn’t treat a trans-identifying male.
Gynecologists treat conditions specific to women and girls, particularly those affecting female reproductive systems – something biological men don’t have. The patient in France still had intact male genitalia, which requires a doctor with a different medical specialty. It would have been malpractice for Dr. Victor Acharian to examine the trans-identifying patient, who has not been named in news reports.
The incident occurred in August 2023, The Times of London reported, when a trans-identifying male entered Acharian’s practice requesting gynecological services. Acharian has said he offered to refer the patient to services better suited to the patient’s needs, using the patient’s preferred pronouns.
“I was only trying to be honest when I said it wasn’t my specialty and I wasn’t competent. I offered to refer her to services that could take better care of her,” Acharian said in December when he was forced to appear before the French Medical Council’s disciplinary board.
The patient, according to Acharian, shouted, “You’re transphobic,” and insulted the doctor’s secretary before leaving the office.
The patient told the disciplinary board: “I was in shock. It was the first time I had suffered this sort of transphobia.”