Cervical screening campaign

[GrimSisters]

This popped up on FB and everyone seems to be thinking he's oh so wonderful for having dreamed up this ad campaign. AIBU to think it's gross, or am i just a massive prude?

From 'Man Behaving Dadly'
"A little while ago, I was asked to come up with ideas for a social media campaign led by GP practices in Suffolk to try and encourage local women to not ignore their letters inviting them for a smear test.

I pitched the slogan ‘Use Your Head, And Spread,’ which I didn’t think they would go for as it’s about as close to the mark as I have ever gone, but incredibly they went for it as part of their new campaign - Uncomfortable, Awkward, Lifesaving.

I know that it’s going to upset or offend some people, but surely if it gets people booking their smear tests then the job’s a good’un?"

@Pumpkinsarepurple

Only a man would think that was an acceptable way to encourage a woman to go for a smear test.

Why the fuck did they approach a man to encourage women to go for smear tests?

This...

It’s vulgar and demeaning.
What kind of GPs would think telling women to spread is appropriate?

Use your head and make an informed choice isn’t quite as snappy but is more respectful towards their patients.

No it's horrid and sexualised.

Ugh, I agree that is grim. Would definitely NOT encourage me to go if I was wavering!

surely if it gets people booking their smear tests then the job’s a good’un?

Doesn’t he mean women?

OP - be interesting to see what kind of reaction this ad would get on AIBU.

Yikes. I am rather crude and am not easily bothered by such language but that gave me a nasty lingering shudder.

If you know what’s good for you, you’ll do as I say?

I would be less likely to attend having seen that post as it frames the process as abuse and yes OMG how awful to be a lone girl or woman in a bus shelter with that on it and a group of lads go by...

I like the “you may find it uncomfortable but it could save your life.” option.

Honestly “use your head, spread your legs” make me feel nauseous.

Bloody hell .

Another with PTSD - I’ve had a smear twice, once with a GP who I knew very, very well and trusted - the second time I was sedated and ‘slept’ through .

The NHS already in my experience have a policy of, prove it - when you explain you find smears too difficult you’re asked to attempt first, to prove to them that you need help . This I’ve been told applies to all gynae stuff eg coils, hysteroscopy etc ... as if you’re deemed to be lying when you say you have past trauma .

If my GP said that to me I’d never go back .

It’s revolting and completely counter productive. And I speak as a retired doctor who once had to persuade a rape victim with abnormal cervical cells, who had avoided an urgent repeat smear and colposcopy for FIVE YEARS, to agree to the procedure - which she would only do with great reluctance and the promise of an all female team.
I can only imagine the deterrent effect of this crass campaign on other sexual assault victims.
Who in their right mind asks a man to design a campaign aimed entirely at women- and for a procedure with such enormous potential for distress, embarrassment and triggering?

Considering the number of women who have experienced sexual assault, I don't see why they don't realise that trauma is a big women reason dont go. Trauma and pain.

Why do they not look at that?

I dislike it immensely.
The term "spread" in the context of a woman's legs is used only in a sexualised and pejorative way (check the urban dictionary).
The potential to cause distress for so many women has clearly not occurred or been considered

My rapist told me to 'spread'. The only person who's ever demanded I do so. Thankfully I'm still able to go for smears but for many women, this sort of creepy portioned language could be triggering.

I've actually gone as far as opting out of the smear. So I dont get asked or letters anymore. I no longer have to put it off the day before the appointment several times before I get up the courage to go.
The stress of that is gone. And this wont suddenly change my mind. Its rather crude, and like a man has no idea how awful smears can be anyway. And could not care any less if he tried. Idiot.

The more I think about it, the worse this sounds... more likely to result in cancellations than bookings.

I do hundreds of smears a year and think this is really unpleasant and unacceptable.

I try and make the point for some of my more nervous women that I understand that the position we ask you to lie in can be unpleasant as it’s such an intimate position usually - “spread em” is very sexualised. And also seems to ignore the fact there are other positions available.... 🙄

OP - be interesting to see what kind of reaction this ad would get on AIBU

Ignore me - I thought this was posted in Feminism Chat!

OP - so sorry to hear you were raped. It's disgusting that this "campaign" is using language which is used to degrade and intimidate women. Is anyone on Twitter pointing this out?

It was in feminism chat initially, I asked it to be moved to here.
Anyway, his post appears to have vanished, along with the campaign's FB page as the comments gathered momentum.

Nothing about that poster is reassuring or encouraging. As a pp said, I've only ever heard blokes talking about a woman 'spreading' her legs. And only in a pejorative sense.

I can't find anything about this campaign online?

See my post above. Its clearly been pulled now.

Although it looks like that weapons grade dickhead has clearly been itching to use his 'hilarious' slogan for nearly a year and they finally seem to have run with it....briefly.

I don’t usually get offended by these things, but I think it minimises the very real concerns and fears that stop many women having their smear test. This message feels very much like a man (of course a man came up with it) saying to just get over it.

Who the hell decided to get men to come up with the slogan for something so personal and intimate for women???

Revolting

Really grim.

Who thought that was a good idea?

It also has a pink background