‘Crass’ and ‘pervy’ cervical screening slogan #DropYourPants dropped after backlash

Guernsey has abandoned a slogan for a cervical cancer screening campaign called #DropYourPants following criticism for being “flippant”, “crass” and “pervy”.

The campaign, which encourages people to get a smear test when offered, was first promoted on 7 June in the crown dependency.

“This year the Bailiwick’s Cervical Screening Awareness Campaign will launch today and run for 3 weeks. This encourages anyone with a cervix to have their free screening appointment when invited. #WeAreAllSmearReady #DropYourPants,” a post on Guernsey’s official Twitter account said.

The #DropYourPants slogan also appeared in a post on Guernsey’s Facebook account.

Social media users criticised the hashtag as “crass and insensitive,” with another calling it “pervy at worst”.

“A lot of women struggle getting a smear because of sexual assaults, flippant at best, pervy at worst, language like that doesn’t help,” one user said.

Another commented: “’Drop your pants’ is not a phrase to be associated with an intimate, invasive medical procedure. Barriers to cervical screening include anxiety related to previous assault and feelings of embarrassment. This hashtag is not at all helpful.”

The slogan has since been dropped from the campaign, but the original tweet is still live.

As part of the same campaign to promote awareness of smear tests, Guernsey launched an initiative called ‘Hang Your Pants’, which asks residents on the islands to visit the Health Connections charity shop and “decorate” some pants. They will then be displayed in the shop window.

Cervical screenings are recommended for anyone with a cervix aged between 25 and 65. In Guernsey, it is estimated that approximately 70 per cent of people with cervical cancer have either never been screened or have not had regular screening.

Responding to the criticism regarding the hashtag, a spokesperson said it recognises the slogan caused offence.

“With regard to the ‘Drop Your Pants’, this was a slogan devised jointly with third sector and primary care partners who have come up with a creative pant-decorating campaign to further the awareness of the screening programme.

“We referenced it to support this project but appreciate that some people have taken offence and we have removed it from our own social posts,” the spokesperson said.

The campaign also faced criticism from some users who took issue with the wording, which invited “anyone with a cervix” to get screened.

However, as Samantha Dixon, chief executive of the national charity Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust points out, cervical screenings are available to those who identify as women, non-binary, trans men and intersex people.

Last month, a study found that only 58 per cent of trans and/or non-binary people had been screened for cervical cancer, while 47 per cent felt they did not have sufficient information about cervical screening.

Ms Dixon told the BBC there are “lots of factors that can make cervical screening difficult – this includes fear, embarrassment, time or experience of trauma”.

She recommended that the wording of the campaign be changed to “women and people with a cervix”.

“The majority of those eligible for cervical screening identify as a woman, however trans men or non-binary people can have a cervix too and so it is important that no one feels excluded or does not think screening is for them,” she said.

She added: “By using ‘women and people with a cervix’ we can ensure potentially life-saving messages reach everyone who needs them.”