Trans Woman Denied Gynecological Care, Sparks Debate
Jessica Yaniv, a transgender woman from Canada, says she was refused treatment by a gynecologist simply for being trans. “We don’t serve transgender patients,” she recalled being told. She described the experience as “shocked, confused, and hurt,” and questioned the legality of the rejection by tagging the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia on social media.
While she claimed the College called the refusal discriminatory, the organization later clarified that it doesn’t offer case-specific opinions by phone. Yaniv didn’t disclose the type of care she sought, but her complaint has reignited a broader discussion on transgender healthcare access and doctors’ readiness—or willingness—to treat trans patients.
Global Pattern of Care Gaps
Cases like Yaniv’s aren’t unique. In countries like France and the U.S., some doctors have admitted, “I don’t feel qualified,” when turning away trans patients. One French doctor apologized publicly after referring a trans woman elsewhere while implying he only treated “real women.”
Past Controversies Resurface
Yaniv previously gained attention in 2019 after filing human rights complaints against beauty salons that declined to perform Brazilian waxes on her male genitalia. The tribunal dismissed those cases, stating her motives seemed financially driven rather than focused on equality.
Where Care Meets Legal Obligation
Medical experts say post-surgery trans women may need specialized gynecological care. “You can’t treat what you don’t understand,” one doctor explained, stressing that lack of training should lead to a referral—not a flat-out refusal. Legally, denying care based on gender identity is typically prohibited in Canada, but declining due to insufficient expertise may be acceptable—if a timely referral is made. Still, trans patients often “fall through the cracks” when doctors are unprepared to meet their needs.
