A gynaecologist has been suspended from his job for refusing to examine a trans patient after saying he was only qualified to treat “real women”.
French doctor Victor Acharian refused to attend to the 26-year-old patient who attended his clinic in August 2023.
He told the patient that it was not his “specialty”, adding he was “not competent, but I can guide you”.
The patient reportedly called the doctor transphobic, and their partner left an angry comment on the clinic’s Google reviews page.
Trans group SOS Homophobie stated the doctor’s actions could have been “also punishable by criminal sanctions”
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Dr Acharian responded saying he only treated “real women” and repeated that he had “no skills to treat men, even if they have shaved their beards and come to tell my secretary that they have become women”.
French press reported that the incident had left the patient in shock, with transgender rights organisations coming to their defence.
Trans group SOS Homophobie stated the doctor’s actions could have been “also punishable by criminal sanctions”.
The president of the Trans Platform Federation in Spain, Mar Cambrolle, also shared thoughts, telling Euronews: “It is brutal to deny the right to health, it is a universal right that all citizens have.”
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At the same time, prominent feminist activists and other doctors have taken Acharian’s side.
Marguerite Stern, a French women’s rights activist who has previously clashed with transgender groups over the definition of a woman, called Acharian’s suspension unjustified.
“Gynecologists’ are only qualified to treat women … We are living in a world of lunatics,” she said,
Marguerite Stern, a French women’s rights activist, called Acharian’s suspension unjustified
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In December, the doctor appeared before the French Medical Council and was suspended for a month from March 1, along with five months’ probation.
Édouard Martial, a lawyer who represented the patient, said: “We have the satisfaction of having confirmation that what happened that day was totally abnormal.”
Acharian apologised for causing any offence weeks after the incident occurred, and said he had offered to refer the patient to a specialist who would be more skilled in helping.
The doctor, who practices in Pau, southwestern France, is able to appeal the decision, however it is unclear if he will do so.
According to a report published by Doctors of the World, it is estimated that 50 per cent of trans people in France cancel or delay their medical appointments to avoid discrimination.