Reproductive health logo

The core essence of a reproductive health logo has never been a simple visual design symbol, but a special logo that combines "de-shaming public communication attributes" and "identity anchor function in service scenarios". The only core criterion for whether it is done well is whether it can allow people in need to find the corresponding services as soon as possible without causing the embarrassment of being watched.

It’s a bit funny to say that I went to a maternal and child health hospital in a northern county. The logo hanging on the reproductive health consultation desk on the first floor was a bright pink silhouette of a uterus, and there was a circle of roses around it. Not to mention the underage girl, I, an adult woman, went to ask about the cervical cancer vaccine, but I was given a double look by the man waiting next to me. At that time, I just wanted to finish asking and leave, let alone someone with hidden diseases.

What’s interesting is that there are two completely different approaches to designing this type of logo in the industry, and no one can convince anyone. On one side are the academic groups from the design departments and schools of public health in universities, which insist on maximizing professional attributes, and the elements must fit the academic definition of reproductive health - they must reflect the origin of life, take into account the physiological characteristics of both sexes, and comply with the color specifications of public health logos, and cannot use random colors. Two years ago, I saw the award-winning work of the National Public Health Visual Design Competition. The X and Y chromosomes were made into entwined olive branches, surrounded by the outline of a four-leaf clover. It could not be faulted in terms of meaning or aesthetics. But when it was actually placed on the shed of a community free clinic, the uncles and aunties passing by all thought it was a stall promoting agricultural technology, and few people even came forward to ask. It was somewhat divorced from reality.

On the other side are public health professionals and public welfare practitioners who are on the front line every day. Their requirements are simple and rude: don’t make people feel embarrassed at first glance, just make it understandable to those in need. I was chatting with a community family planning officer in Longgang, Shenzhen. She complained that the logo that was distributed uniformly before was too formal. It hung at the door of the consultation center for half a year, and the people who came to ask questions could be counted on ten fingers. Later, they changed their own logo, with two hands holding a round little sun, and a very small line below it marked "生生". "Reproductive Health Consultation." From a distance, it looks similar to the sign of a youth service station. People who really need it can read it clearly if they get close, and they will not be noticed by people passing by. In the first month after the change, the number of people who came to consult about contraception and HPV vaccines tripled. Even a few high school girls dared to come together to ask about puberty issues.

Of course, many people are opposed to this "blurred" design idea, and feel that this itself is a compromise on the shame of reproductive health - why should we hide something that should be above board? Last year, there was a public welfare organization in Shanghai that focused on reproductive health services for sexual minorities. It printed a logo with a pattern of colorful condoms and hearts and posted it on the free material vending machines in the business district. During that time, the number of supplies received was nearly 60% higher than when the gender-neutral logo was used before. However, it also received many complaints from parents who said that they did not know how to explain it when passing by with their children. Both sides had their own reasons, and the argument for half a month had no results.

To be honest, I have been working as a public welfare visual design consultant for almost five years. The most common request I encountered was the adjustment of reproductive health logos. I never gave clients any unified templates. When I made it for colleges and universities, I used simplified physiological structure lines and rainbow elements. Young people like it and dare to scan the QR code to get information. When I made it for service points for migrant workers in urban villages, I just used bigger words "Health Consultation" with a small shield. Everyone knows what it means and won't feel embarrassed. When I made it for county maternal and child health hospitals, I used a compromise, using a combination of sprouts and crosses, which is in line with the standards of the medical system and is not too eye-catching.

In fact, after all, is there any perfect reproductive health logo? The ultimate mission of this symbol is never to win a design award, nor to satisfy everyone, but to allow those who are embarrassed to ask, those who are afraid of being pointed out by others, to come over with peace of mind and get the help they need. That is enough.