Is sex stereotyping OK if it might save lives?

The MHF's website for the man in the street, malehealth, is conducting a survey of adverts both with and without health messages to find out what men think is acceptable.

The survey follows the decision by the Institute of Cancer Research to use singer Rachel Stevens, right, scantily-clad, some plums and a king-sized bed to encourage younger men to examine their testicles. Is this sexist crap or clever marketing?

'It's a complicated issue,' said malehealth editor Jim Pollard. 'The Forum has asked the ICR to justify its campaign and we've also got, in contrast, the views of a public health expert who believes that sexist stereotyping is always damaging and unhealthy regardless of the importance of the message. You can read both points of view on malehealth or in print in the latest issue of MHF magazine.'

Victoria Rae from the Institute of Cancer Research says: 'Young men can be a notoriously hard group to reach. We always remember that we are not marketing a product — we're giving out messages that could save lives.'

Dr Alex Scott-Samuel, Senior Lecturer in Public Health at the University of Liverpool disagrees. 'We are not talking about either/or situations here,' he says. 'There is a continuum that begins with gender stereotyping in parenting and socialisation and extends through sexist education, advertising, bullying in the workplace to politics and to most aspects of our wellbeing.'

Let us know what you think. We'll publish the results next month.