Feminists have criticised a ‘crass’ cervical smear test campaign that erases women and ‘sexualises’ a vital health procedure by telling patients not to keep their legs crossed.
Don’t Keep ‘Em Crossed has been launched by North West Cancer Research to highlight how cervical cancer rates in the region are 19 per cent higher than in the rest of England.
The campaign was launched with a sculpture showing crossed mannequin legs at Manchester Piccadilly Station alongside the slogan ‘Don’t keep ’em crossed’.
A blurb reads: ‘Our region’s cervical cancer rates are 19 per cent higher than the rest of England. Yet almost 1 in 3 people aged 25-49 in the North West don’t attend their cervical screening leaving their risk of developing cervical cancer to chance.’
Mumsnet users blasted the decision to refer to ‘people’, accusing the ad creators of ‘erasing women’.
Others accused the team behind the ad of relying on ‘laddy’ humour, with one writing: ‘It looks like a promo for a lovely legs competition in a seaside resort in the 1970s.’
Don’t Keep ‘Em Crossed has been launched by North West Cancer Research to highlight how cervical cancer rates in the region are 19 per cent higher than in the rest of England
A second called it a ‘horrible campaign’ that ’emphasises the sexual nature of opening your legs, whereas what you want as a woman thinking about smears is to desexualise it’.
A third said: ‘How crass. Spread your legs, eh? Horrible erasure of women in the small print too.’
Karen Swan, director of Influential – the advertising firm behind the campaign – said it was deliberately ‘playful and a bit cheeky’ to ‘grab attention’ and encourage women to attend their cervical screenings.
She described the Don’t Keep ’em Crossed’ strapline as ‘perfect’.
But Debbie Cameron, a feminist campaigner and Oxford University professor, claimed it was a ‘line for a letch’.
She wrote on X: ‘What is the matter with people who design campaigns to encourage cervical cancer screening?
”’Don’t keep em crossed” is a line for a lech (and ”you should have kept them crossed” is an old excuse for rape). The whole thing is objectifying and offensive.’
Her fellow activist Helen Saxby agreed, writing: ‘It’s Ladz Bantz isn’t it – just like the Coppa Feel campaign for breast cancer. It makes you feel women’s cancer can’t be that serious, it’s all a bit of light-hearted fun.’
Toni Hargis said: ‘Can’t believe it. WHO thought this was a good idea? Sexualising a vital health procedure and using a phrase that’s employed to shame women.’
Meanwhile, author Tamsin Winter suggested the strapline was more suited to a ‘Carry On film’.
The campaign will also see posters at ‘targeted’ venues including hairdressing and beauty salons, gyms, bars and coffee shops. A digital campaign using social media influencers will run alongside it for four weeks.
A spokesperson for North West Cancer Research said: ‘One in three of the people in the North West who would benefit from a cervical cancer test are not coming forward. The evidence shows that, even with the very best intentions, the existing NHS testing campaigns are not achieving their aims in our region.
‘People working in public health are often confronted with harsh realities. In this case, about two people die every day from cancer of the cervix and there is no question that more testing will reduce this tragic death toll.
‘Our campaign was designed by women, led by woman and it is their legs that feature in the photographs supporting the work. It is obviously disappointing to find that the style and tone of the approach we have taken on this occasion has caused some disquiet. We are going to reflect on all the comments we have received.
‘The work was designed to draw attention to the underlying problem – which is people keeping things crossed and hoping for the best. We acknowledge there has been some negative reaction, but it does not reflect all the feedback we have received.’
The charity said it had been approached by women at Manchester Piccadilly railway station who had ‘come forward to share their stories and thank us for drawing attention to the issue’.
On the issue of ‘erasing’ women, the spokesperson added: ‘As a registered charity, we have a duty to be inclusive and our objective is to prevent as many unnecessary deaths as possible.
‘We understand that some women do object strongly to the use of the word ”people” in this instance but about two people die every day from cancer of the cervix and there is no question that more testing will reduce this tragic death toll.’
Mumsnet and X users blasted the decision to refer to ‘people’ rather than women and accused the team behind the ad of relying on ‘laddy’ humour
Earlier this year a cancer charity was accused of ‘dehumanising’ women after advising medics to refer to the vagina as a ‘bonus hole’ to avoid upsetting transgender men.
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust features a glossary on its website detailing ‘the correct language’ that healthcare professionals should use when dealing with trans men – people whose biological sex is female but identify as male.
As well as ‘bonus hole’, it also suggests the term ‘front hole’ as an alternative to vagina – the use of the latter may leave patients feeling ‘hurt or distressed’, it clamed.
Women’s rights campaigners last night rounded on Jo’s, the UK’s only charity dedicated to women affected by cervical cancer.
Bev Jackson, of the LGB Alliance, said: ‘Disgusting language like this which intentionally dehumanises women must be rejected by all reasonable people.
‘The fact is, women have vaginas. It’s appalling that anyone would think that reality is offensive. If you think it’s offensive, then that’s your problem.
‘There is no reason for the rest of society to adapt our language so as not to offend people who are offended by reality.
‘Some people wish to ignore the very clear biological differences between men and women.’
The terms feature on a section of Jo’s website specifically for medical professionals entitled ‘Language to use when supporting trans men and/or non-binary people’.
It was drawn up in partnership with the LGBT Foundation, a campaign group calling for ‘a world where queer liberation enables meaningful and lasting change’.