Obstetrician-gynecologist are mainly treating (cis)women and are often also called “women’s doctors” (In German, “Frauenarzt_in is the more common, colloquial word.) In a surprising and confusing move, the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology has decided to cement the later term: The board apparently ruled that U.S. American OB/GYN may only treat women. Otherwise physicians lose their mandatory board certiification.
This really makes no sense.
As this New York Times explains, the order for example affects OB/GYNS treating (cis)men with a form of anal cancer also caused by the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV.) This type of cancer is rare, HIV positive men are among the most likely to be affected. HPV, of course, is best known as a cause for cervical cancer. U.S. OB/GYNs, doctors experienced in screening for this, can now no longer give (cis)men this preventive care, as the treatment is specifically ruled out by the Board. I can think of other preventive care methods OB/GYNs might be specifically capable to perform for men, including mammographies.
The reason given in the NYT piece is indeed “dogmatic:”
Dr. Larry C. Gilstrap, the group’s executive director, said the specialty of obstetrics and gynecology was specifically designed to treat problems of the female reproductive tract and was “restricted to taking care of women.” Of the 24 medical specialties recognized in the United States, he said, it is the only one that is gender-specific, and it has been that way since 1935.
Apparently it is a problem that OB/GYN physicians now branch out to other health care services to make money. One could argue it would make more sense to increase monitoring of the health care doctors provide instead of narrowing the group of patients to one half of a gender binary that isn’t supported by reality anyway, but exclaiming “women only” is cheaper for the Board. There probably are weird insurance issues, too.
Further, Verónica at feministing points out that this directive puts the health care for trans* men, trans* women, and other non-binary, gender non-conforming people at risk. It’s already extremely difficult for these groups to find adequate health care, making it harder with a ridiculous, reactionary order is downright cruel. I can only agree with Verónica’s conclusion:
There is no good reason why any physician should be barred from providing services they are qualified to provide. This decree is arbitrary, discriminatory, unnecessary, and dangerous to trans and gender non-conforming communities.
(I wonder if the Board will soon start claiming that the uterus wanders again.)
Thoughts?