Cervical screening health promotion using Transgender model - counterproductive?

Any health campaign's effectiveness depends on clear communication. If this was part of a wider campaign and this particular image within that campaign is aimed at trans men AND it had wording to the effect of trans men need to go for smears too, then it would work. But as a stand alone image and without that wording, to the average observer it looks like a male is fronting a smear test awareness programme. So not clear in its communication to its target audience at all.

Funny, in any other context, the people designing an ad would presumably think 'Right... what's our target audience? Who are the group of people we really want to take notice?'

So this lot said... "Targeting middle-aged women? Right... what kind of person should we put in the picture then? Ummm.... not sure... elderly man? Small child? Ooh I know...'

Menopausal and post menopausal women are so often rendered invisible.

Perhaps an innovation to encourage visits to GPs for prostate exams might interview a Drag Queen if they're promoting an inclusive message?

So they'll be using a trans woman for prostate cancer campaigns, right?

Yeah, doesn't sound likely, does it? I wonder why...

A terrible combination of the urge to be on message for trans inclusivity and the urge to hide women away once they’re over a certain age.

It's like they really wanted to use a middle aged transwoman until someone pointed out the obvious.

Mangyinseam

I was attempting to clarify that Transman should absolutely attend for cervical screening and that any treatment that has caused premature menopause is not relevant. If they were born with a cervix and have had sex they should be screened.

However. The thousands of women who have not attended for screening are not going to suddenly come forward because of this poster.

Why can’t campaigns aimed at middle aged women feature photographs of middle aged women? It’s just depressing.

A terrible combination of the urge to be on message for trans inclusivity and the urge to hide women away once they’re over a certain age.

So to be really clear it seems like it would have to say something like "transmen need smears at such and such an age" if that is the target audience.

tbh, I have no idea if the presentation in the image is that of a transman or a male-presenting AFAB NB (some NBs have interventions) or a neutrois.

Menopause artificial or otherwise is not relevant.

Females who have a cervix and have been sexually active at some point during their lives should be screened every three years between the ages of 25 and 64 (although some argue for later).

If they are looking to make sure transmen get screened it might be a reasonable approach, theoretically. Though the text might be a little unclear.

I am wondering if transmen aren't meant to be screened earlier as they may have become menopausal artificially?

At one time I'd have said that an ad directed to transmen should probably use the word female, but male and female now seem to be applied interchangeably as well. So to be really clear it seems like it would have to say something like "transmen need smears at such and such an age" if that is the target audience.

At a first glance I thought it was a guy so would just ignore it

What we have instead is an advert that is trying so hard to score inclusivity brownie points it actually appeals to no one!

I can make a case for disagreement if we separate out effectiveness from the notion of whether or not it actually appeals to anyone.

I've been startled by the growth of 'rep' (representation of diverse communities) book and film reviews. People ask about the 'rep' before deciding whether to read/watch. It's also quite nuanced as they want to know that 'rep' inclusion covers one of the main or substantial ancillary characters, it's not just the inclusion of Black or NB characters who don't move the story along. A different Bechdel Test, as it were.

This promotion might appeal to some people who are not in the target demographic. It might even gain an organisation points for a Stonewall WEI bump if they're seen to be doing this.

Again, I make no claims as to the effectiveness and can only point to the links posted upthread as an indicator of recent research and adjacent considerations.

Quite frankly you would be better giving them all a ring personally. It would take less time and money!

Red - you have hit it on the nose.

I work in an industry where we do mass market, but we also do the sums, and for certain clients, we do indeed just ring them, because it's cheaper, more effective, and just all round better than trying to reach them as part of the general public.

Surely if they are worried about trans men coming forward for screening then the advert should be explicit in this i.e the heading should be 'Trans men need cervical screening too'.

I wonder if anyone has done any research how trans people react to adverts. For example would a trans man read every advert like this with a man or do they know that they are biologically female and are therefore tuned to also look at adverts on health for women? ditto trans women.

Frankly they just need to create separate adverts women, men and trans people/non binary. The latter could show trans men and women and include a summary of the text from the adverts for women and men. Job done.

Why would you use images of people in their late 30s Red? The target age is women aged 50-64.

Would a middle aged woman from a minority background with English as a second language get this?

How many women from minority backgrounds with English as a second language do we have compared to transmen in the target age group?

This is so back to front. When you are targeting people to come forward for health related services, you need to look at the demographics of the people who aren't coming forward and use media they are familiar with to reach them. Which is almost certainly not going to be posters like this.

Bluntly, if say 60% of your registered population attend for cervical screening and your target is 80% this poster isn't going to help reach it.

On the other hand finding out that your missing population are zero hours contract workers or parents of young children and offering evening or weekend appointments might help. As could getting some influencers on board to reassure women that it's not as bad as they think it might be.

As could having enough phone lines available at your GP surgery so that you can actually book the sodding appointment even if you want to.

I saw this the other day which pissed me off too. I don't get it - are they seriously suggesting that people don't know which actual biological sex they are?

I mean, identify as a fucking green carrot if you like, but underneath your wacky hair you're either male or female, and you do know what that means for you medically.

If you want to avoid the confusion, you need images of BOTH a woman in her late 30s and a transman of a similar age, if you want to be inclusive and hit the right targets properly.

I tend to look at images first and if the advert looks like it is relevant to me then I’ll possibly read the text. This would completely pass me by as irrelevant and I’m in the target demographic.