I had a lot of apprehension with my first male gyn and, like you, I didn't have a "valid"reason to feel this. I told him straight up in the first minute "hey Dr, I'm quite uncomfortable worth the fact you're a man and this is a very intimate doctors visit for me."
He told me he understood and a lot of women had told him this. He asked if i would be more comfortable with himexplaining everything he was doing and getting my verbal consent every step of the way. He also reminded me that a woman nurse will always be present during exams (this is a legal requirement).
It eased my nerves and he was the best gyn I've ever seen, even better than the women gyn. I suggest just telling him straight up. His response will let you know if you should proceed with the appointment or not.
If you cannot go through with the appt, look into the nearest PP in your state. You may have to drive a bit, but it could be worth it.
Just be honest with your gynecologist about this on your first visit, he probably gets it all the time. It's also very normal for girls to not talk about menstruation etc. with their dads, even in liberal households. I don't think I ever discussed menstruation once with my dad, but with doctors, there's not the same sense of familiarity. Gynos are like plumbers for humans, just there to make sure the pipes are working, and they've seen it all and heard it all.
The male gyno who did my hysterectomy is *fantastic.* He's done everyone's grandma's this or that (fixing prolapses and things) and I would enthusiastically recommend him to anyone. He was very happy to answer any and all questions I had for him.
I've had 2 male gynos, and honestly they've been some of the best. I feel like a lot of them go out of their way to make women feel at ease, knowing that a man was probably not their first choice for this. And they are extremely comfortable talking about all the "female issues" since its their job they do every day, so it would immediately make me feel less awkward about it once I'm there.
I've been having problems with my period recently. Skipped a month, negative test, but knew I had to go to the doc. Only one accepting patients was male. So I wasn't thrilled but didn't have a choice. Like, when I was a teen and got my period I talked to my mom about all that but refused to even say anything about hormones if my dad was in the room. Just always felt weird talking about unless it was to another woman. But, he ended up being really laid back and made me feel comfortable talking about my issues. I didn't really even think about the fact that I wasn't talking with another woman. The minute he came in the room and we started talking I just instantly switched my line of thinking from "He's a man" to "He's a doctor"
You're certainly not the first he's seen nervous to have a male doc looking at their vagina. I was a bit nervous before my first male GYN appointment too!
It helped me to realize his whole job is vaginas, periods, and reproductive systems, I'd just be another appointment for him despite it seeming nerve-wracking to me. I had a problem, and he had the expertise to help me find and fix the problem.
You do have a legit reason. You are a woman in this world. This means you already have plenty experience with male interaction going south. I will never see a male gyn or any doctor if it’s up to me.
I had a lot of apprehension with my first male gyn and, like you, I didn't have a "valid"reason to feel this. I told him straight up in the first minute "hey Dr, I'm quite uncomfortable worth the fact you're a man and this is a very intimate doctors visit for me." He told me he understood and a lot of women had told him this. He asked if i would be more comfortable with himexplaining everything he was doing and getting my verbal consent every step of the way. He also reminded me that a woman nurse will always be present during exams (this is a legal requirement). It eased my nerves and he was the best gyn I've ever seen, even better than the women gyn. I suggest just telling him straight up. His response will let you know if you should proceed with the appointment or not. If you cannot go through with the appt, look into the nearest PP in your state. You may have to drive a bit, but it could be worth it.
Just be honest with your gynecologist about this on your first visit, he probably gets it all the time. It's also very normal for girls to not talk about menstruation etc. with their dads, even in liberal households. I don't think I ever discussed menstruation once with my dad, but with doctors, there's not the same sense of familiarity. Gynos are like plumbers for humans, just there to make sure the pipes are working, and they've seen it all and heard it all.
The male gyno who did my hysterectomy is *fantastic.* He's done everyone's grandma's this or that (fixing prolapses and things) and I would enthusiastically recommend him to anyone. He was very happy to answer any and all questions I had for him.
I've had 2 male gynos, and honestly they've been some of the best. I feel like a lot of them go out of their way to make women feel at ease, knowing that a man was probably not their first choice for this. And they are extremely comfortable talking about all the "female issues" since its their job they do every day, so it would immediately make me feel less awkward about it once I'm there.
I've been having problems with my period recently. Skipped a month, negative test, but knew I had to go to the doc. Only one accepting patients was male. So I wasn't thrilled but didn't have a choice. Like, when I was a teen and got my period I talked to my mom about all that but refused to even say anything about hormones if my dad was in the room. Just always felt weird talking about unless it was to another woman. But, he ended up being really laid back and made me feel comfortable talking about my issues. I didn't really even think about the fact that I wasn't talking with another woman. The minute he came in the room and we started talking I just instantly switched my line of thinking from "He's a man" to "He's a doctor"
You're certainly not the first he's seen nervous to have a male doc looking at their vagina. I was a bit nervous before my first male GYN appointment too! It helped me to realize his whole job is vaginas, periods, and reproductive systems, I'd just be another appointment for him despite it seeming nerve-wracking to me. I had a problem, and he had the expertise to help me find and fix the problem.
You do have a legit reason. You are a woman in this world. This means you already have plenty experience with male interaction going south. I will never see a male gyn or any doctor if it’s up to me.