Pubes For Publicity: Cervical Cancer Campaign Rubs People The Wrong Way

Most of us agree that campaigns aimed at spreading awareness and raising money for cancer research are positive. Most of us will also agree that the Julyna campaign is going a bit too far in the name of publicity.

Julyn‘s mission is:

• To increase awareness of cervical cancer, and to promote healthy lifestyle choices in an effort to prevent the spread of HPV. In addition, we aim to raise money for The Canadian Cancer Society for the funding of further cervical cancer research.

That’s all great news, but at what cost to women? The crux of the initiative is that women must trim or shave their pubic hair into creative designs for the month-long campaign and then solicit donations from friends and family.

Obviously, the controversial new campaign has been given the green light by the Canadian Cancer Society. “Let’s face it, it’s a very crowded event market in Ontario and right across Canada and so events need to be unique to stand out,” said Guy Laporte, director of Toronto revenue development at the Ontario branch of the Canadian Cancer Society.

The Movember and “I Heart Boobies” campaigns to raise cancer awareness were successful, but you have to wonder if there isn’t a better way to raise money for cervical cancer. How is a woman going to prove her participation? Maybe she will drop her pants and say, “Look, it’s a heart!” As much as we can be lighthearted and make jokes talking about different designs, the truth is that cancer, which affects millions of individuals and families each year, is no laughing matter.

This doesn’t mean the campaign should be grim and hopeless, but “women’s health experts are questioning the structure and focus of a campaign that links cancer to women’s sexuality and seems needlessly risqué,” according to a Globe and Mail critique of the campaign. Julyna may further stigmatize a cancer associated with promiscuity since the risk for developing cervical cancer comes from HPV, a sexually transmitted infection. Meredith Dault, a graduate student at Queen’s studying the popularity of pubic hair removal, worries that the initiative “objectifies what should be a private area.”

Hopefully these legitimate concerns will force the organization to think about cervical cancer over media buzz, but until then, the campaign is going full steam ahead and we can’t forget that ultimately the Cancer Society is setting their sights on fighting this devastating disease. Offensive or not, people are suffering and need all the help they can get.

Contact the author here: tinybart@morningquickie.com