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.

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.

This is to make the point that women who have had a hysterectomy or radical trachelectomy don't need to be screened. They are trying to be sensitive. You are being unreasonable.

Yes, why is it that men's cancer charities aren't using this kind of language to avoid using the word "men"? Why aren't people pointing out how exclusionary this is?

I don't have a cervix ( following total hysterectomy) but I am most certainly still a female/ woman without a womb

Maybe we should rename toilets and changing rooms as for "people with cervixes" and "people with penises. Wpuld make sense if you follow the logic ...

UpstartCrow

I agree there is a double-standard being witnessed here.

In fact, even if a trans woman has had gender reassignment surgery, the prostate remains intact.

If you are a trans woman or male assigned non-binary person, you will have a prostate, regardless of whether you have had genital reconstructive surgery or not.

prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information/are-you-at-risk/trans-women-and-prostate-cancer

I'm really shocked. That says it all about how we view women's bodies and what we're teaching girls and women

Or it could be that more people that you could ever imagine know very little about anything. I know someone who was well into their twenties before they realised that caterpillers turned into butterflies.

I was really shocked on the paracetamol thread that the majority appeared to be completely unaware of the fact that as little as double the recommended dose of paracetamol can be fatal, slowly and painfully, despite it saying this in big letters on every box of paracetamol and other products that contain paracetamol that are on sale.

And these were people with at least enough education to post in decent written English on the thread in question.

What you may think is common knowledge is often not the case at all.

This is to make the point that women who have had a hysterectomy or radical trachelectomy don't need to be screened. They are trying to be sensitive. You are being unreasonable.

I have honestly never heard of women like that kicking up a fuss or feeling excluded because of a cervical screening campaign using the word woman. In fact, they may be more aware than anyone of how important it is gyneacological health is!

Could the advert find room to specify women, trandgender men, anyone who has a cervix.
Also add a note for anyone who is in contact with those who cannot read or have little understanding of the message.
Seriously this would surely be the answer.

@skiiltan This is to make the point that women who have had a hysterectomy or radical trachelectomy don't need to be screened. They are trying to be sensitive. You are being unreasonable.

The point of the campaign is to drive up uptake of screening. The figures all show a drop in numbers attending, not people without a cervix being confused or appointment blocking !

Or it could be that more people that you could ever imagine know very little about anything. I know someone who was well into their twenties before they realised that caterpillers turned into butterflies.

^ This. Have people not seen Pointless on TV? You can ask a ridiculously simple question (eg what is the Queen's first name?) but you'll almost always get a few percent of people who don't know.

Given that cervixes (or should it be cervices?) aren't talked about frequently, I suspect there are quite a lot of women who would not know that this means them.

Some women who have had a hysterectomy may still have a cervix if it was a 'sub-total' hysterectomy and would therefore still require a smear test.

This is to make the point that women who have had a hysterectomy or radical trachelectomy don't need to be screened. They are trying to be sensitive. You are being unreasonable.

No.
Women who have had a hysterectomy because of cervical cancer are the last people to kick up a fuss about this - they actively want other women to get screened, so they don't have to go through the same thing.

If you have a cervix get it tested.

If you don't, don't.

There was a thread this morning about this that was much more in support of the ops point.

i don't give a shiny shit about the gender politics of this.

the government states that frequent non-attenders for cervical screening include ethnic minorities, people in lower socio-economic groups and women with learning disabilities. ((along with lesbian and bisexual women, women over 50 and younger eligible women 25-29.))

let's make this a numbers game.

if you look at the list, the people who are in danger and need to be encouraged by awareness-raising activities include three groups who it'd be reasonable to assume would have language, educational or cultural barriers that could lead them not to know what a cervix is.

CRUK is failing the people who need this information most.

it's basic nudge theory (or applied marketing) - don't make it any harder than it needs to be for people do what they need to do.

if CRUK need to do a campaign for (the albeit small number of) transmen to know that they still need to have cervical screening then by all means do that, but not at the expense of the vulnerable groups who need clear, unambiguous information that doesn't require a degree in physiology.

if transwomen get in touch to get their screening organised despite not having received a notification, that can be dealt with appropriately (and you'd hope sensitively) at that time by their GP.

gov stats here: stats and good explanation of GP guidance on transmen

Not using the word female is, I think, confusing when talking about medical conditions that can only affect females.

Who may be offered a smear?
Anyone born female who has not had their cervix removed

Better.

This is just a very tiny linguistic concession which doesn't harm you at all, but which might save someone's life. How can you honesty oppose that?

Because it also can cost lives. Where obs/gynae services is rebadged as "women's health" uptake amongst women from low SE and E2L groups rises significantly. ie generally poorer and more vulnerable women access life saving services when the message is clear enough

It should be entirely possible to keep "women" in the strapline. Possibly "woman and anyone else with a cervix, if in doubt check here " where "here" would link to the PHE leaflet advising trans people in this area of healthcare.

Before feeling warm and fuzzy, validating your inclusive credentials cast a thought to the women who will be indirectly excluded by this language. You are including one group by excluding another group.

I believe the rebadging of male urology to "mens health" had the same increased update in poorer groups.

However since cancer research still refer to "men" on the prostate adverts apparently they value low SE group men over women in those groups.

f CRUK need to do a campaign for (the albeit small number of) transmen to know that they still need to have cervical screening then by all means do that, but not at the expense of the vulnerable groups who need clear, unambiguous information that doesn't require a degree in physiology.

This is exactly it.

Are trans men ignoring the advice given to them by their health proffesionals?
I would imagine that all trans men still remember that they were once a woman.
If it is body dysmorphia or some similar lack of ability to go along for a smear then apart from those close to them reminding them, there is not a lot more to help.

CRUK need to do a campaign for (the albeit small number of) transmen to know that they still need to have cervical screening

That would also be a logical option and may even be more effectively targeted.

I would have thought “people and women with a cervix” to be far more sensible. Still inclusive but will have the added benefit of telling those, who have very little anotomical knowledge or poor understanding of English a fighting chance of questioning whether or not they need a smear.

Plain and simple english should be used, this is the MOST inclusive way. This will maximise the chance that the majority will understand.
It's not about keeping a group happy it's about getting the maximum number of women to have a smear test. CRUK have decided not to be inclusive. The fact that they have not done this across the board - i.e. for men is very very strange.

I will be writing to them to ask them to change the wording so that is actually inclusive. If they decide not to then I will not be donating anymore and will stop volunteering.

I'm not particularly...feeling much about it but I am kinda curious at the focus group or testing used for this. I mean, if it's aimed to be inclusive of trans men, most who it could be assumed are dysphoric, and dysphoric people are distress by our sexed characteristics some to the point of disassociating from those characteristics...why do people think it's a good idea to label people by the body parts at all, let alone ones your target audience may be disassociating from?

I like heresyandwitchcraft's suggestion of ""women and other people with cervixes" if they feel they must do the labelling by body parts thing, though I prefer Bowlofbabelfish's version. Might add 'People with [relevant disorders of sexual development]' either to the list of those who need it or those who should speak with a doctor if this is to help those who are likely to be overlooked or raise public awareness that members of those groups need screening.

I would have thought “people and women with a cervix” to be far more sensible.

I would find this more confusing actually. It also makes it sound like women aren't people...