We Are All Smear Ready is a craftivism campaign
to raise awareness of smear tests (cervical screening) & to address the barriers of body image & embarrassment.
Why the campaign began.
The culmination of attendance rates hitting an all-time low, the death of a friend to cervical cancer and attending a cervical screening herself motivated marketer & designer and former PSHE teacher, Helen Baker to do something,
She created this independent passion project to educate and empower young women about their bodies and to spark more conversations on the importance of smear tests that save lives.
The findings of national research papers highlighted the need to focus on 25-29 year olds, the highest-risk group for cervical cancer and the largest age group to skip appointments (1 in 3 women compared to the national average of 1 in 4). It also addresses two of the main barriers cited by women in this age group: embarrassment and body image,
Helen says ”many health awareness campaigns come from a medical perspective whereas #weareallsmearready has a supportive ‘big sister’ feel. The campaign aims to be accessible, supportive and informative, reinforcing the message that you don’t have to be beach ready to be smear ready. “
A small but mighty message
Every year during Cervical Screening Awareness week in June, the campaign encourages people to make a mini pair of pants to either post on social media or in public along with an information label. The label explains the national context of falling attendance rates, how important the NHS screening programme is and a space for the crafter to sign their name to add a personal touch.
Hundreds of people have got involved making and sharing mini pairs of pants using whatever materials they had to hand with a strong emphasis on sustainability and not buying anything new.
Need to know more about cervical screenings (smear tests?) Visit the Jo’s Trust website or call their helpline on 0808 802 8000
Click on the pants to see the gallery of many more!
Watch and listen
Jenny Eclair made her own mini pair of pants and ‘dropped them in public’ with Helen in the BBC4 documentary ‘Craftivism: Making a Difference’.
Watch the 4 minute BBC film on the campaign.
Listen to the campaign story as told by Helen to Victoria on Virago Voices, a podcast series on female empowerment
Communicating a sensitive message through craft
Campaign founder, Helen Baker, with some craftivism mini pants helping to spread an important message.
After reading Sarah Corbett’s inspirational book ‘How to be a Craftivist’ and learning how Craftivism (craft + activism) takes a thoughtful approach to mindful activism, craftivism seemed like the perfect tool for tackling such a sensitive issue.
What is Craftivism?
Craftivism is known as a gentle form of protest that can bring about long-term effective change. Read more about the Craftivist Collective set up by Sarah Corbett here.
“Through connecting our hands, hearts and heads, we can truly make a difference.”
