Come off it Cancer Research UK

[Noviceoftheweek]

So now women aren't even mentioned in cervical screening awareness activity. To quote Cancer Research UK: "cervical screening (or the smear test) is relevant for everyone aged 25-64 with a cervix."

I despair, I really do.

“Everyone with a cervix” is the newspeak terminology

I give not one fuck about bickering, terminology, who said what or when.

My mum died of cervical cancer last year and if these adverts make one person go for a smear and get it caught early with a chance to survive then bloody brilliant.

I hate the trans stuff that is taking over what seems like everything (activists/extremists not transpeople) but this is not the situation for that argument. It’s life or death.

And if those ads fail to get the message to those in need?

@user1499173618 you'll understand that I can't consider that a credible position unless you're actually going to provide evidence.

Surprised at all the avid defenders of women's rights on here who think that a huge number of women are going to be unaware that they have a cervix. Quite apart from it being generally known, you receive letters addressed to you personally which explain exactly what a smear test is, so surely this is a moot point?

And as for women who don't have English as a first language or who are disabled - where is your evidence that 'all women need to get cervical smear tests' is any easier to understand than 'all people with cervixes need cervical smear tests'? I agree that 'woman' is a more common word than 'cervix' but the entire phrase needs to be understood to be meaningful and I just don't see how one is much more comprehensible than the other. The NHS already has initiatives to assist disabled women and non-native English speakers in understanding their healthcare, so I just don't see why this specific procedure warrants different rules?

sodding I understand your point but what if the phraseology puts off or confuses 5 people for every 1 it draws in?

A lot of women know little about their own anatomy, and that's without thinking of the learning disabilities and ESL speakers mentioned above.

So true. A shocking number of people don't have a clue what cervical cancer is or what's believed to cause it, and I'm pretty sure most of those wouldn't even know what a cervix is (or a prostate gland, for that matter).

Just think of how many people appear to be completely unaware of what labour is actually about, even when they/their partner has given birth vaginally.

I agree unicorns, except I'm coming at it from the side of the women who won't go for a smear because the advert wasn't clear enough to them.

YANBU .

And where is your evidence that there is no confusion?

This is going to be my new fall back position on everything.

Shriver believes society as a whole, both online and off, is becoming “hypersensitive”. “People are getting very uptight about what they can and cannot say. I hope we’re going through a phase, because the alternative is for everything to get worse and more sensitive and more prescriptive. But I think it’s entirely possible something terrible happens – a world war, or someone drops a nuclear weapon – which will produce a real sense of perspective. It’s a luxury to worry about columns in The Spectator, and fall out all week over it.”

Also do any of you really think that Cancer Research haven't done an enormous amount of research into whether this language will alienate or confuse people? Of course they have! It will have been through every focus group going!

I have attached the eve appeal's research (via the link in the Independant) showing many women have poor knowledge of their own anatomy, it's not speculation.

"I understand your point but what if the phraseology puts off or confuses 5 people for every 1 it draws in?"

What if it doesn't though?

Well the NHS cannot recommend you have a pap smear if you don't have a cervix, can it? I'm sorry you think "cervix" is a hard word but it needs to be in there.

I agree unicorns, except I'm coming at it from the side of the women who won't go for a smear because the advert wasn't clear enough

Fair point, maybe it does need to be reworded.

But the bickering and sly little digs (not from you) appal me. If they’d seen my mother die the way she did, they wouldn’t be so high and mighty about wording on a poster.

I might be inclined to let this one pass, were it not for the fact that the information on prostate checks is clearly aimed at men. Not all men have prostates surely? Again it feels like it’s only the women who have to be diluted.

ofgs what is the huge problem regarding Trans on MN

its getting boring now.that and the always offeneded at anything

:( unicorn

I am sure lots of people have no idea what a cervix is, and I hope this advert makes them ask the question. Lots of people are confused about when they need to start having smears and that’s dangerous. I hope statements like this one force people to be less squeamish about naming parts of their own body.

And where is your evidence that there is no confusion?

That's not how this works, user. You're the one who is asserting a fact - it's on you to prove your assertion that confusion exists, not on me to prove that something doesn't exist. Otherwise it would be like you saying 'unicorns exist' and me saying 'where is the evidence of that' and you saying 'why don't you prove that they don't exist'

The NHS does support learning disabilities and ESL speakers but that doesn't mean they wont be missed.

Transmen are rejecting their female reproductive system. They need a different kind of support rather than be fobbed off be removing the word "woman"

Well, quite, @meganchips.

It seems a bit odd to be talking about "men" vs "people with a cervix"

(And there are plenty of men who've had their prostates removed.)

So even you are confused

The wording is completely accurate. Cervical screening is only applicable for those who have a cervix be that woman, FTM or intersex.