[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

That's also true, there are already enough people who avoid examinations and procedures like this and the message to combat that is reassuring people that it's purely clinical... putting out content that sexualises it even as a joke will reinforce those worries and put some people off. With obviously terrible consequences sometimes.

I don't think that is true, I think testing for cervical cancer is an issue, I don't think women have any issue checking their own breasts, alot of women pick up lumps while in the shower, maybe you can link an article though?

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Cherie

I didn't even notice, I am surprised Arista hasn't asked for a good mod to move it!

I know it was a joke but it could make for an interesting discussion anyway

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Cherie

I don't think that is true, I think testing for cervical cancer is an issue, I don't think women have any issue checking their own breasts, alot of women pick up lumps while in the shower, maybe you can link an article though?

Mammograms for over 50's maybe, there's a scheme for that here like cervical screening. I know my mom uses it but I don't how big the uptake for it is really, you hear less about it

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Mammograms for over 50's maybe, there's a scheme for that here like cervical screening. I know my mom uses it but I don't how big the uptake for it is really, you here less about it

Yeah it only kicks in at 50, I don't think it is such a big issue because it's not as invasive or embarrassing as cervical screening, apparently its like squashing your breasts in a car door

My Aunt had breast cancer and she would regularly check herself but it was in the shower that she felt the lump and she said the lump disappeared at times when she tried to find it again

thankfully she is 5 years post treatment now and off all meds

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Yeah it only kicks in at 50, I don't think it is such a big issue because it's not as invasive or embarrassing as cervical screening, apparently its like squashing your breasts in a car door

My Aunt had breast cancer and she would regularly check herself but it was in the shower that she felt the lump and she said the lump disappeared at times when she tried to find it again

thankfully she is 5 years post treatment now and off all meds

My mom fainted one time when she had hers

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

My mom fainted one time when she had hers

omg was she okay afterwards, like did she go back, not sure how often it is done every 3 years maybe?

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Cherie

omg was she okay afterwards, like did she go back, not sure how often it is done every 3 years maybe?

Yeah she did but she's not the type who would be scared off easily, she's always been very thorough with her health and wouldn't let embarrassment or discomfort stop her getting treatments or tests done. I'd imagine it could scare some people off though. It's every 2 years I think

[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I know it was a joke but it could make for an interesting discussion anyway

For sure!

It could be argued that it's different in this case than if the genders were reversed and it was girls talking about checking testicles because testicles are genitalia, and a girl going "down there" wouldn't be funny for any sense of humour - just like no-one could find the video funny in the o/p if they were talking about giving smear tests.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

For sure!

It could be argued that it's different in this case than if the genders were reversed and it was girls talking about checking testicles because testicles are genitalia, and a girl going "down there" wouldn't be funny for any sense of humour - just like no-one could find the video funny in the o/p if they were talking about giving smear tests.

It's an imperfect comparison but the issue there is that there is no comparable secondary non-genital sexualised part of the male body to draw comparison with. I suppose you could go the other way and suggest that it would be two 12 year old girls offering to oil up bodybuilder's abs, chest and arms for a competition? Still an imperfect comparison because the male torso isn't overtly sexualised in the way that breasts are, but perhaps works better because yeah... I think most people would still find that a pretty uncomfortable scene.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

For sure!

It could be argued that it's different in this case than if the genders were reversed and it was girls talking about checking testicles because testicles are genitalia, and a girl going "down there" wouldn't be funny for any sense of humour - just like no-one could find the video funny in the o/p if they were talking about giving smear tests.

Absolutely

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Yeah it only kicks in at 50, I don't think it is such a big issue because it's not as invasive or embarrassing as cervical screening, apparently its like squashing your breasts in a car door

My Aunt had breast cancer and she would regularly check herself but it was in the shower that she felt the lump and she said the lump disappeared at times when she tried to find it again

thankfully she is 5 years post treatment now and off all meds

Can confirm.Though not as painful as it sounds..for me anyway. Made me overly aware of how..non pert they are these days though, hoiking each onto a shelf thing then they squashed to a few cms each from there!

[Jessica.]

bad taste

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Can confirm.Though not as painful as it sounds..for me anyway. Made me overly aware of how..non pert they are these days though, hoiking each onto a shelf thing then they squashed to a few cms each from there!

I have seen a video it doesn't look as bad as smear though, that is the absolute worst but still go through it every few year.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Cherie

I have seen a video it doesn't look as bad as smear though, that is the absolute worst but still go through it every few year.

Yeah they're awful

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Yeah they're awful

The nurse that does it at our surgery does an internal first, as she says she needs to know where she is going..hello you are not on the M5

shine a light up there maybe!

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Cherie

The nurse that does it at our surgery does an internal first, as she says she needs to know where she is going..hello you are not on the M5

shine a light up there maybe!

[Vicky.]

2 years overdue on my smear, as the nurse they always give me is a ****ing butcher. Leaves me bleeding and sore for DAYS afterwards and tells me to 'man up' (seriously! )

The only tolerable smear I ever had was done by a male doctor. But I feel a bit iffy asking for a man specifically. In my experience though, men are better at female intimate exams, maybe as they worry about hurting us because they..well dont have the equipment themselves? I have found female staff to be very 'oh its nothing, dont be silly'..possibly because THEIRS is nothing, so they assume thats universal or something?

Obviously that wont go for all male/female HCPs. Just my experience.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

2 years overdue on my smear, as the nurse they always give me is a ****ing butcher. Leaves me bleeding and sore for DAYS afterwards and tells me to 'man up' (seriously! )

The only tolerable smear I ever had was done by a male doctor. But I feel a bit iffy asking for a man specifically. In my experience though, men are better at female intimate exams, maybe as they worry about hurting us because they..well dont have the equipment themselves? I have found female staff to be very 'oh its nothing, dont be silly'..possibly because THEIRS is nothing, so they assume thats universal or something?

Obviously that wont go for all male/female HCPs. Just my experience.

That's not right, smears shouldn't hurt, they're just uncomfortable. Never had a male Doctor do one but any female nurse/doctor that's done them on me have been very gentle and I've never bled afterwards

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

That's not right, smears shouldn't hurt, they're just uncomfortable. Never had a male Doctor do one but any female nurse/doctor that's done them on me have been very gentle and I've never bled afterwards

I know its not meant to bleed or be sore. Uncomfortable of course due to the nature, but not to that extent.

Our surgery seems to have designated the one butcher all smears. But our surgery is pretty crap anyway, I am sure you know from my many rants about them!

[GoldHeart]

Originally Posted by Jessica.

bad taste

Agree

Especially now with stand up to Cancer raising money and awareness of how it's just 1 in 2 of us that will get cancer , it's a horrible disease that affects most people.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

That's not right, smears shouldn't hurt, they're just uncomfortable. Never had a male Doctor do one but any female nurse/doctor that's done them on me have been very gentle and I've never bled afterwards

correct it should be uncomfortable but not hurt you, I have had a male doctor do it with a nurse present, and a female doctor and all were miles better than the nurse with her road map

[Jessica.]

Mammograms are fine, like, it's a tiny bit uncomfortable but honestly it feels worse when my cat walks on my boob. I didn't find having a smear test that bad either but I trust my GP and she was the one who did it, so I guess it could definitely be uncomfortable if you didn't feel like you were in a good environment.

[Jessica.]

At least the unfunny original post spurred a productive and educational conversation,

[Beso]

Originally Posted by Cherie

you know I really take issue with that, like I don't have my own mind or something

**** until womans day.