Yuvraj Singh's NGO attempts to mansplain backlash over Breast Cancer ad: 'Bold creative choice, proud of our success'

Yuvraj Singh's non-profit organisation, YouWeCan, found itself at the center of controversy yesterday for a breast cancer awareness ad that used oranges as a metaphor for breasts. The ad faced backlash for sidestepping the use of the word "breast" altogether, which many saw as ironic for a campaign meant to raise awareness about breast cancer. After considerable criticism, YouWeCan has finally responded, but their reaction suggests they might not have fully grasped the public sentiment.

How did Yuvraj Singh's NGO respond to the backlash?

Responding to journalist Rituparna Chatterjee, who criticised the ad on LinkedIn saying, "Check your breasts, not oranges, for lumps," Yuvraj Singh's foundation defended the campaign.

The foundation argued that discussing breast cancer openly is challenging, as people often avoid the topic unless it affects them personally or someone close: "It's a topic that many avoid, unless it impacts them personally or someone close to them."

In the message, the NGO described their usage of oranges as a 'bold creative choice,' "carefully thought through, with the goal of breaking the silence surrounding breast cancer. We would never use creative strategies to ridicule or diminish a cause that is so close to our hearts."

The foundation infact expressed pride in the campaign's impact, stating that it had successfully sparked meaningful conversations about early detection: "We are proud that this campaign has already achieved significant success, with more and more people engaging with the topic positively and opening up vital conversations about early detection."

Their response, clearly, didn't read the room well.

"When a roomful of women are telling you they are uncomfortable with their breasts being compared to edibles, such as oranges, because it infantalises and sexualises them, listen to them," Chatterjee wrote, accusing the NGO of trying to 'mansplain' women's bodies to them.

How Yuvraj Singh's NGO's breast cancer awareness ad became the centre of controversy

The controversy began when a woman shared a post on X, featuring a photo of an advertisement she spotted in the Delhi Metro.

How will a country raise Breast Cancer Awareness is we can¡¯t even call breasts what they are. Saw this at Delhi Metro and like what the hell? Check your oranges? Who makes these campaigns, who approves them? Are we governed by such dumb people that they let this poster become¡­ pic.twitter.com/YAZ5WYSxXf

¡ª Confusedicius (@Erroristotle) October 22, 2024

The ad depicts a woman on a bus, holding two oranges, while other female passengers watch her.

A crate of oranges is also included in the image, accompanied by the tagline, "Check your oranges once a month."

The woman had criticised the NGO for the campaign, questioning the decision to refer to breasts as oranges, and starting a horde of backlash on it.

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