By Heather Bedford and Megan Walker
The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) has endorsed Julyna. Last November this fundraiser began to evolve over drinks a group of women had in Rosedale, an upscale neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario. If men could do Movember, growing and trimming facial hair and fundraising for the CCS, what could the women do? The goal of Julyna is to increase awareness of cervical cancer while raising money to fund research by “choosing a style for their hair down there and sticking to it.” They’ve produced a youtube video and design page outlining how you can shave your pubic hair. For example, you can shave your pubic hair to look like a landing strip or Charlie Chaplin moustache. If that doesn’t meet your fancy, you can mold your pubic hair as a stripper would (whatever that means) or get a Brazilian. If you don’t feel like shaving, you can go to a recommended spa to have your pubic hair waxed all for the cause.
While it may be a well-intentioned campaign, sexing up cancer is problematic and concerning.
Many organizations and individuals have responded to the campaign. In a Globe and Mail article dated June 30, 2011, Dr. Joan Murphy, clinical lead for the Ontario Cervical Cancer Screen Program at Cancer Care Ontario said, “Julyna risks undoing efforts to destigmatize a disease that has traditionally been associated with promiscuity. The main risk factor for developing cervical cancer is contracting human papillomavirus (HPV), typically transmitted sexually. I’m not sure this risqué campaign is going to help dig us out of that hole frankly. “
In this same article, Jane Shulman, director of knowledge exchange at the Canadian Women’s Health Network questioned how a campaign centred on pubic hair could boost awareness about cervical cancer. She said, “How is one related to the other? I think it’s really far from awareness-raising.”
The London Abused Women’s Centre works with girls and women who are pressured by boys and men in their lives to shave their pubic hair to look like women seen in pornography. You will never see a woman in a porn film with pubic hair. This is done to both fully expose their genitalia as well as to make them look more like little girls.
Pornography dehumanizes and sexualizes women. Women in pornography are degraded, humiliated and portrayed as enjoying the body punishing sexual assaults committed against them. Women in pornography never say “no.” Men are led to believe this is what women want. The pressure on girls and women by boys and men to fulfill their pornographic fantasies, including shaving their genitalia, are extreme.
It is inconceivable that the Canadian Cancer Society would endorse Julyna, a campaign promoting a practice so clearly linked to the sexual exploitation of women and girls. Young girls, with their newly shaved vaginas, may potentially face increased pressure for unprotected sex because of their pornified bodies. Given HPV is a sexually transmitted disease and significant contributor to cervical cancer; it would therefore seem Julyna has done its job in linking itself to cervical cancer.
At the top of the Julyna.com website, as well as other posts connected to Julyna, is the Canadian Cancer Society daffodil symbol with the words “proud Supporter” and “The Canadian Cancer Society is pleased to accept the proceeds from this community initiative.” Linking the Canadian Cancer Society to the shaving of women’s pubic hair significantly diminishes the reputation of the CCS.
Heather Bedford is a retired Registered Nurse
Megan Walker is the Executive Director of the London Abused Women’s Centre
4 Comments
Thanks to Heather and Megan for this great article. My mother works with new mothers and young babies, and the nurses she works with say that shaving down there is becoming more and more prevalent. Some of the women even express worry that their midwives are going to disapprove of their pubic hair. This is a patriarchal ideology with some pretty serious implications.
Thank you for this article! It's great!
What a relief to read a sensible response to this completely outrageous campaign. Thank you so much. Every voice that denounces the increasing objectification we face as women is a relief.
Thank you for defending women's integrity! The explosion of pornography across the culture is normalizing these kinds of objectifying and degrading ideas of women's bodies.