If you use Twitter, you may have noticed several women tweeting about their favourite emoji to describe a vagina today.
While this may seem unusual, the tweets are part of a wider campaign, dubbed #EndSmearFear, which has been launched this Sexual Health Awareness Week.
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust has partnered with Twitter on the campaign, and is urging people to post their favourite vagina emoji, along with the campaign hashtag.
A huge range of emoji have been used to describe a vagina, although the most popular include the blue butterfly, the rose, the wilted rose, the down arrows, and the peach.
The campaign comes as figures reveal that many women avoid going for a smear test.
A statement about the campaign explained: “More than 3,200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year in the UK and nearly 900 don’t survive.
“As well as this, attendance of smear tests (despite being the most effective protection against the disease) is falling. One in three young women are not choosing to take the test when invited.”
Women avoid smear tests for various reasons, including embarrassment, fear, and not understanding what the test is for.
The statement added: “For some women, including survivors of sexual violence or those with some health conditions, it can be especially difficult.
You can find more information about the campaign here .
