That's not what caught our attention though, someone's got to do the mandatory underwear shoot and it might as well be the lovely Chloe. It is the quote above her cover photo of Chloe, looking rather irked to be photographed semi-nude in bed with her boyfriend, that caught our eye: "Page 3 girls are today's feminists."
C'est vrais, Chloe. The right to choose extends beyond abortion and contraception. It might seem frivolous or implausible to some but the choice to pose in your underwear, or in your birthday suit (I like to think Richard Madeley squeamishly refers to his daughter's recent topless "health and fitness" shoot as her birthday suit shots.) is one women should be free to make.
That's free of pressure from the medallion wearing, greasy quiffed old men we imagine orchestrate pornographic or family newspaper shoots and free from 'well-meaning' people wanting to save them from their mistaken path to empowerment or adoration. | there's something about undies that apparently brings out the buddy in women. |
The presenter is currently promotingJo's Cervical Cancer Trust. The trust has teamed up with Sainsbury's (watch the video, I find it adorable when Chloe says 'knicker' in the singular) to raise funds with the cunning use of pants for Cervical Screening Awareness Week.
Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust joins a long line of women's charities that use underwear and celebrities to raise awareness, suggesting there's something about pants and/or bras that apparently brings out the buddy-feeling in women.
Chloe, who became one of 80% of the UK to contract HPV (yep, more common than youthink), has been involved in raising awareness of the link between certain strains of HPV and cervical cancer. Whether she says it in her pants or not, encouraging women not to be afraid of smear tests is a valuable message.
Posing in her pants and bra Chloe is passing on a more positive message than the feminist Vagina Monologues with its tales of horrifying duck lips, soreness and leg stirrups (not used in the UK) about the mysterious and dreaded smear test.
Squeamish Kate