A gynecologist from the city of Pau, in the southwest of France, has been sanctioned by the Order of Doctors after refusing to treat a transgender patient. The health professional expressed his displeasure with the situation, stating that he would prefer not to attend to transgender individuals in his practice. His comments caused outrage in anti-discrimination associations, which later led the doctor to apologize for his statements.
The regional Medical College decided to sanction the gynecologist based on the Public Health Code, which prohibits discrimination in access to medical and preventive care. It was determined that the doctor's words were not simply a mistake but constituted a discriminatory act against individuals undergoing gender transition.
Following complaints from the French associations SOS Homophobie and SOS Transphobie, a criminal investigation was opened by the Pau prosecutor's office to determine the legal actions to be taken. The lawyer for the rejected patient expressed satisfaction with the sanction imposed on the gynecologist, stating that it was expected.
In August 2023, the patient, who had been in a gender transition program for three years, requested an appointment with the gynecologist due to chest pain. However, the doctor refused to see her, arguing that he only attended to "real women." Subsequently, in response to a negative comment left on his Google page, the gynecologist reiterated his discriminatory stance.
The gynecologist's suspension from practicing medicine for one month, with five of the six months of suspension confirmed by the disciplinary chamber of the regional medical college. Although the doctor has the option to appeal this decision, his behavior did not go unnoticed and sparked a debate on discrimination in the healthcare field.