Yuvraj Singh’s cancer foundation, YouWeCan, has come under fire for its new breast cancer awareness ad displayed on a Delhi Metro coach. The ad, aimed at encouraging monthly self-checks for breast cancer, featured the slogan “Check your oranges once a month” with an image of a woman holding two oranges. While the intention was to spark awareness, it’s the language and visual choice that ignited a heated debate on social media.
The ad, quickly going viral after a passenger shared it on X, left many questioning if we’re really normalizing breast cancer conversations by reducing it to “oranges.”
A popular X user, Confusedicius, called out the campaign, tagging Yuvraj Singh and questioning if “we can’t even call breasts what they are.” They added, “How will a country raise Breast Cancer Awareness if we can’t even call breasts what they are? Shameful and embarrassing.”
This sentiment was echoed by many netizens, some calling it “tone-deaf” and others, like Congress’s Pawan Khera and Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra, stressing that breasts shouldn’t be a subject of coy euphemisms. “Breasts are NOT oranges. Say it aloud, please,” Moitra tweeted, tagging the DMRC, who later confirmed the ad was removed due to the backlash.
In response, YouWeCan defended the ad on LinkedIn, explaining that it was a “bold creative choice” meant to break the silence on breast cancer awareness. “We deeply appreciate every perspective…Our use of oranges in the campaign was a bold creative choice with the goal of breaking the silence surrounding breast cancer,” the organization stated. They clarified that the intent was never to trivialize the cause but to get people talking about an often-taboo topic.
While some netizens still found it distasteful, others acknowledged the challenges of discussing sensitive health topics in a society that often shies away from them.