The scenes in a new campaign from nonprofit GirlvsCancer may make some viewers uncomfortable—and not just because the women in them are talking about cancer.
In perhaps the most provocative ad, a woman named Ava reveals her diagnosis of breast cancer. She describes going through radiotherapy, then struggling with issues of egg freezing and hormone blockers. Meanwhile, she’s thinking something she couldn’t say aloud to her doctor: “I’ve got cancer. I deserve the wickedest slam.”
Over the course of her monologue, Ava reaches climax.
“Some people will find this uncomfortable, and we’re fine with that,” said Helen Rhodes, executive creative director of BBH London, the agency behind the campaign. “We want a strong reaction, for people to talk about this.”
GirlvsCancer’s campaign addresses two taboos: cancer and female sexuality. While it is still rare to see candid depictions of women’s sexuality on screen, it is even rarer for that topic to come into the cancer discussion.
The organization, whose work centers on erasing stigma and supporting those facing cancer, wants to change that. It highlights the statistic that 60% of women with cancer say they experience sexual dysfunction.
“What people don’t look at when they think of cancer is all the nuances. It doesn’t just impact the body; it impacts your sense of self and all the things that make a fully formed human, including sex and intimacy,” said Lauren Mahon, founder of GirlvsCancer. “Sex is a huge part of the human condition. Everyone deserves to feel love and intimacy and pleasure.”
When Mahon was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago, at the age of 31, she said she grappled with the same fears about treatment and healing as others in her position. But feeling isolated, she also worried: “I’m single and on [dating app] Hinge. How am I meant to re-enter the world of dating?”
GirlvsCancer’s campaign gives voice to experiences like those, subverting the typical narratives about cancer.
Deliberately provocative
Two years in the making, the campaign’s bold tagline is: “Cancer won’t be the last thing that f*cks me.”
Billboards with the line alongside close-up shots of nude women will run across London. Photographer Katie Burdon captured the images.
There are two other films in addition to the one about Ava, who was actually going through radiotherapy at the time of the shoot. Directed by Sophia Ray, each of them features a real woman who has faced cancer and explores different experiences and feelings surrounding the intersection of their healing process and sexuality.
The women are actors but these are their true stories, and BBH wrote the scripts.
Laura talks about going through a breakup while having cancer, before falling in love again and discovering a kink club.
And Liz opens up about reconnecting with her body through masturbation. The scene ends with the sound of her vibrator.
The ads are intentionally provocative in hopes of connecting with women who are dealing with these issues.
“It’s quite disruptive and confrontational, but if you know, you know—and it’s going to resonate with you,” Mahon said. “We want women to feel they are being heard and championed.”
A holistic view
This is the start of a long-term campaign for GirlvsCancer, which has set up a resource hub online and will share the ads across its social channels.
It has two audiences, according to Mahon: the medical community, which needs to educate patients about sexual issues as part of a holistic treatment process; and cancer patients, who she wants to feel empowered to talk about these challenges more openly with friends, partners and doctors.
Support for those experiencing cancer “has to be both physical and mental,” she continued. Mahon and her organization advocate for a “mind-body-soul” approach to both cancer treatment and discussions about female sexuality.
“It’s about empowering us. Our bodies are ours first. Historically with sex, your body was seen as a vessel for someone else’s pleasure,” Mahon said. “Women pleasure themselves, engage in all kinds of sex and intimacy. This is about them owning their sexuality rather than involving someone else. It’s about time we see things like that.”
