The Eve Appeal

[Clymene]

I'm sure this has been done before but a post from the Eve Appeal popped up on my Facebook from a friend telling women to check their vulvas for signs of cancer. Only of course, the Facebook doesn't mention women at all.

So I clicked through to their website to read about vulval cancer:

Vulval Cancer
Cancer of the vulva (also called vulvar cancer or vulval cancer) is one of the rarer cancers with just over 1,300 cases diagnosed in the UK each year.
What is cancer of the vulva?
The vulva describes the external genitals. It includes the soft tissue (lips) surrounding the vagina (labia minora and labia majora), the clitoris, and the Bartholin’s glands, two small glands each side of the vagina that secrete fluid to enhance lubrication.
Around 80% of vulval cancers are diagnosed in women over 60; however anyone with a vulva can be diagnosed with vulval cancer, and we are increasingly seeing more and more women being diagnosed at a younger age.

The vulva does not describe the external genitals. It describes the external genitals of women.

They do actually refer to women but only old ones. Younger women are referred to as 'anyone with a vulva'. There aren't any pictures on this page so you don't get a visual clue as to what they're talking about.

They have one aim - to raise money for cancers which only affect women.

This is what it says on their home page: 'The Eve Appeal is the leading UK national charity funding research and raising awareness into the five gynaecological cancers – womb, ovarian, cervical, vulval and vaginal.

The word women doesn't appear once. Even the header photo has virtually even numbers of women and men on it.

Presumably they don’t know that gynae means woman in Greek, or they wouldn’t be using gynaecological either.

Ha

I don't suppose they've thought of that.

Honestly, a charity which exists purely to support women doesn't mention women on its website. I'm not even angry any more. I'm just so tired and disheartened.

I looked them up on the charity commission:
The Eve Appeal's vision is a future where fewer women develop and more women survive the five gynaecological cancers.

So they absolutely do know gynae cancer only affects women. They just don't want to tell the women they ostensibly support

I'm totally against the removal of the word woman, but in this instance, this is a post on their Facebook page. It's for people who follow them. Their followers know what they are about. If it were a Facebook ad, I would have more of an issue. They do refer to women several times. It would be poor writing to keep repeating 'women' at every opportunity when I already appears.

I've come across much worse so can't get worked up about this.

@Doyoumind

I'm totally against the removal of the word woman, but in this instance, this is a post on their Facebook page. It's for people who follow them. Their followers know what they are about. If it were a Facebook ad, I would have more of an issue. They do refer to women several times. It would be poor writing to keep repeating 'women' at every opportunity when I already appears.

I've come across much worse so can't get worked up about this.

My friend shared it. That's the whole point of Facebook posts surely?

It's supposed to be educational. Or do you think the only women who deserve to be educated about the signs of vulval cancer are ones who buy into the erasure of women?

Is women used on the Facebook post because I can't see it on the shots.

The word vulva IRL how commonly understood is it? By women and also by men? Certainly loads refer to vulva as vagina. If English not great then not sure at all.

The pics. Dunno if just me but they are not the best. Showed DH the pain/soreness one and said what's this. He said I can guess what it's meant to be but it's a terrible picture. Equivalent of graffiti cock n balls.

Looked at Facebook can't see woman top or first few posts including op one.

Have I missed it?

Other points. Others may not agree...

1. No pubes on any pics. Understand need to show vulva main thing but couldn't they have put some on some pics without obscuring? As it's image would need legs wide (and even then think wouldn't be able to see it like that all the parts) surely hair would be ok as not on the clit etc!

1. Images would be way easier to interpret if more/ any (!) legs showing wide. The labelled one only has a tiny bit. Why not make pics as clear as possible? Esp given the fact female is not mentioned.

Just looked again those pics are actually just terrible.