French Gynecologist Suspended For Refusing To Treat Trans-Identifying Man

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.”

After the incident, the patient’s partner reportedly left a negative Google review about the doctor’s refusal to treat a biological male. Acharian responded to the review by addressing the “gentleman” and writing that he only treated “real women,” the Times reported.

“I have no skills to take care of men, even if they have shaved their beards and they come and tell my secretary that they have become women. My gynecological examination table is not suitable for examining men,” Acharian wrote, according to the Times.

He later apologized for his word choices, saying: “I reacted spontaneously, out of anger, as I felt I was being attacked unfairly. My words were very clumsy and they may have caused offence. I’m well aware of that and I have expressed my regret on several occasions.”

For this, Acharian was suspended from practicing medicine for one month and will be on probation with the French Medical Council for an additional five months.

Edouard Martial, the patients’ attorney, said after the hearing, “We have the satisfaction of having confirmation that what happened that day was totally abnormal.”

The Times also noted that pro-transgender activist groups claimed transgender patients faced difficulties in finding healthcare – though it should be noted that gynecological exams for biological males are not healthcare.

Author J.K. Rowling and others pointed out how absurd the situation is, with Rowling calling it “Pure insanity.”

Pure insanity. https://t.co/cj0WBywnCx

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) February 1, 2025

Marguerite Stern, a women’s rights activist, also told the Times: “Gynaecologists are only qualified to treat women … We are living in a world of lunatics.”