Gynecological Self Test
The objective of the design is to deal with the problem of conservative Chinese women’s reluctance to gynecological examinations under the influence of ideologies such as “slut-shaming” that lead to exacerbation or even threats to life.
The stigma of women’s desires in Chinese patriarchal society has led to the long-standing world outlook of disapproving oneself and thus becomes conservative towards the private part of one’s body. Women are more susceptible to be shameful about gynecological diseases due to the lack of sex education and women’s lack of understanding of their sexual organs. For women who have already been affected, they would be guided to take the opportunity of examination to touch and observe their own sexual organs and to begin to understand and accept that the vagina is only an organ. After being familiar with this type of examination, women will be more receptive to the higher-level gynecological examinations where doctors are present and thus reducing the situation of delays due to shame.
Through collecting survey data, the author verified that women’s acceptance of gynecological examinations was related to whether they had observed their own sexual organs and understood why it was difficult for women to accept gynecological examinations. With the assistance of doctors from the clinical lab, the author verified the usability of the design through the approximate time the specimen was valid.