When it comes to talking about our bodies, it seems that more than half of Mancs get a little bit uncomfortableusing certain words.
When using anatomically correct language like clitoris, vulva, and labia majora, new research commissioned by Bodyform has found that a massive number of people in Manchester just don’t feel comfortable – whether they’re saying them out loud, or on social media.
The research found that a massive 63% of people in Manchester don’t feel comfortable using the word clitoris, while a surprisingly large 35% feel the same about the word period – despite the fact that billions of people around the world experience one every month.
Other censored words uncovered by the research include those describing common medical conditions, such as PCOS and UTIs – feeding an already existing taboo around women’s health.
Bodyform says that the result of this is almost three-quarters (73%) of people in Manchester feel uncomfortable having open conversations about their health.
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The research also revealed that 44% of people in Manchester feel there’s a stigma around using medical terminology to describe women’s anatomy, leaving just a quarter (25%) feeling comfortable speaking about the topic with their own children.
What’s more, research suggested that 40% of people in Manchester are unlikely to even have open conversations with their doctors about their bodies.
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The research also revealed that social media users in Manchester aren’t aware of the wider censorship issue, with a massive 92% not knowing that vagina is one of the most flagged words on Facebook.
A further three in four (77%) people in Manchester, didn’t know sharing an educational image of a vulva could get you banned on social media, and seven in ten didn’t know what shadowbanning was, or that it regularly happens on social media.
The top ten list of words people in Manchester feel most uncomfortable using:
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1. Adenomyosis (85%)
2. PMDD (83%)
3. Dysmenorrhea (79%)
4. Labia majora (79%)
5. Vaginal atrophy (79%)
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6. Labia minora (78%)
7. Vaginismus (77%)
8. Bacterial Vaginosis (73%)
9. HPV (71%)
10. PCOS (69%)
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Eight in ten (86%) respondents admitted to feeling uncomfortable using these words on social media, as well as in real life.
When it comes to women’s bodies being represented in the media, one in two people in Manchester felt the images they see aren’t representative of real life, with a third (34%) believing the media also has a difference in perceptions of women’s and men’s bodies.
Bodyform’s new campaign, Vaginas Uncensored, backed by TV presenter and vocal advocate for women’s health Cherry Healey, aims to empower women to reclaim the words they feel they can’t say.
Speaking of her support for the campaign, Cherry added: “I’m so pleased to support the Bodyform Vagina’s Uncensored campaign and play my part in normalising the language around women’s bodies. Speaking out is hugely important and will change the lives of so many people – especially the younger generation for whom this education piece is so important.
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“That’s why I’m working with Bodyform to highlight these issues and to attempt to stop social media platforms from censoring such vital messages.”
Cherry’s feelings are further reinforced by Bodyform’s survey findings, revealing that an alarming 90% of people don’t feel comfortable naked and 73% of people in Manchester don’t feel comfortable having open conversations about their bodies.
Over a third (71%) believe this stems from embarrassment, over half (60%) blame a lack of education and 48% think people simply don’t know what they mean.
Anna McCrory, Senior Brand Manager at Bodyform, added: “At Bodyform we don’t believe in taboos and are passionate about giving women+ a voice to open-up conversations that we, as a society, need to be having.
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“These Manchester survey results really go to show just how far we have to go as a society.
“Not speaking out, makes important subjects almost impossible to talk about which in turn is affecting our lives and our health. This is why our Vaginas Uncensored campaign is so important and why we are urging women+ to reclaim the language around their bodies.”
Featured image – Bodyform
Manchester
You can now catch a direct flight from Manchester to Italy’s ‘best kept secret’ for only £15
Emily Sergeant
Looking for your next holiday destination? Well now you can catch a direct flight from Manchester to Italy’s ‘best kept secret’.
Temperatures have finally been hotting up, and the rain has mostly cleared off across Greater Manchester over this last week or so, but as the sun hasn’t always shown its face, this means many of us will likely be thinking about hopping on a plane to another country where the warmer weather is more of a regular occurrence.
Coincidentally, Manchester Airport has just become the first UK airport to form a direct flight link to the stunning southern Italian region of Calabria.
If you’re unfamiliar with Calabria, not only is it one of Italy’s most affordable regions to visit, but it also home to some outstanding white sandy beaches, picturesque scenery, culture and architecture, and a truly authentic food scene.
The region is often dubbed one of Italy’s “best kept secrets” by travel writers and tourists.
Having officially taken to the skies at the end of last month (28 April), flights from Manchester Airport to Reggio Calabria are now running exclusively with Ryanair on Wednesdays and Sundays, and you can book your trip now from as little as £14.99 per person one-way.
Calabria is found at ‘toe’ of Italy’s ‘boot’, and the city of Reggio Calabria faces the island of Sicily across Strait of Messina to provide visitors with an ideal base to explore the wider region.
As mentioned, the Calabria region is one of the most affordable parts of Italy to visit, and while it has long been popular with Italian tourists, international visitors are only just beginning to discover this hidden gem.
Manchester Airport’s Chief Commercial Officer, Stephen Turner, says the airport is “proud” to connect people in the North with an “outstanding range of destinations”, with over 200 routes served by more than 50 airlines, but he admitted that Ryanair’s new service to Reggio Calabria is “an exciting one”.
Flights are now open to book from as little as £14.99 per person one-way / Credit: Suhyeon Choi (via Unsplash)
“It’s a brand-new destination for us,” Mr Turner explained.
“And it isn’t currently served by any other UK airport either, so it gives our passengers even more choice.
“Visitors travelling to Calabria will love the blend of culture, cuisine and spectacular beaches that it provides, so we’re confident that this new route will be popular with our passengers.”
Thousands of gig tickets slashed to £25 in huge Live Nation Concert Week sale
Daisy Jackson
Thousands of gig tickets are on sale for only £25 this week, including some of summer’s biggest concerts.
The massive nationwide sale is part of Live Nation’s Concert Week, which has been taking place in the USA and Canada for a decade.
This is the first time Live Nation has taken the gig ticket sale global, lining up cheaper tickets for some of the UK’s most hotly-anticipated gigs.
A limited number of tickets (though there are reportedly 40,000 included in the sale) will be sold for just £25, with sales kicking off at midday each day between 6 and 12 May.
Among the names included are Doja Cat, Charli XCX, Glass Animals, Hozier, and McFly.
Iconic acts like Shania Twain at Lytham Festival, Eagles at Co-op Live, and Annie Mac at The Piece Hall in Halifax are all part of the sale.
Big local names include Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, New Order, and The Charlatans & Johnny Marr are also listed across the week.
Several of the artists involved in the Live Nation Concert Week sale have booked the country’s biggest arenas, including the Co-op Live and AO Arena here in Manchester – and we all know how expensive those arena tickets can be.
Many of the shows are also upcoming open-air summer concerts at some of the north west’s most beautiful venues.
Live Nation said of its concert sale: “Get ready! From 12pm you can get a limited number of tickets from £25 for some of the biggest shows this year, including @dojacat, @charli_xcx, Limp Bizkit and many more.”