China’s Topless Women’s Health Ad

A television presenter for “Women’s Health” channel in China, Chen Dan, has made a public apology after appearing topless with two other women on recent Shangmei Gynaecology Hospital advertisemtent for women’s health.

“A caption referred to the three women as spokeswomen for “pink ribbon” — a “series of activities concerned about women’s health,” — but made no reference to breast cancer prevention.”
The advertisements appeared in bus stops and billboards in Hunan’s capital, Changsha. Titled, “Clever Girls Love Themselves More,” a commenter called the ads a “serious attack on women” on the grounds that it “goes completely beyond the moral and aesthetic baseline.”

The ads were not the first to show women topless in hopes of gaining attention for women’s health. Several Chinese actresses posed nude to support breast cancer in an October 2005 magazine ad.

I’m not sure how I feel about this type of advertising. On one hand, it’s only a breast and if the object is to demystify women’s body and encourage women to realize that their health is of utmost importance, then I’m all for it. On the other hand, if it’s only a ploy to make heads turn in a typical pose oriented for the male gaze, eh, not so much. This is one of those cases where I wish I could see the actual ads for myself.

So I did what anyone would do, I googled it.

Being American-born, I can’t say how this ad functions in Chinese society. From my perspective, it is very typical sex-kitten in the posing and in her look. However, she’s not showing anything but her back. The image is stark and definitely eye-catching. I could see why the ads creators chose it. It stops people in their tracks and makes them look at the ad. The controversial discussion following it only promotes the hospital’s name even more. I understand, I think.

How do you feel about it?

Read the full article here: “China irked by topless women’s health ad,” Reuters UK.
See the partial ad here: “TV presenter apologizes for topless ad,” China View.

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