'A cavity is not a vagina': Trans woman refused healthcare in France

"I only treat real women" - that's what French gynaecologist Victor Acharian told a 26-year-old transgender woman he refused to treat in his clinic in the south-west of the country recently.

The transgender woman, accompanied by her boyfriend, went to a gynaecological appointment when, after minutes of waiting, the secretary told her that the doctor had refused to see her.

"I told her that I'm not competent, but I can guide you. I can refer you to services that can take better care of you. But after I said that, things went south," gynaecologist Victor Acharian told Euronews.

"I thought I was being honest when I said it wasn't my speciality. I don't know how to treat them and I don't mind being called ignorant," he added.

"You're transphobic!" the young woman reportedly shouted as she left the consulting room. According to the gynaecologist, the patient began to insult his secretary, reacting violently to the refusal.

The woman's partner, still in shock, left a comment on the clinic's Google reviews complaining about what had happened.

The doctor replied with a message addressed to a "gentleman", claiming that he treated "real women".

He justified himself by saying 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".

He also asked the woman to take it upon herself to tell other transgender people that they were not welcome in his clinic.

After the incident, the patient was reported to be in a 'black hole' and still in 'shock', according to the French press.

Dr Acharian admits he lashed out with the online comments, but says his reasoning for not seeing the patient is still justified, and highlights an underlying problem for medical professionals. 

"I