Sunnybrook pulls Gangnam Style parody over complaints from birthing group

YOUTUBE SCREEN GRABObstetrics and gynecology staff bounce around the maternity ward in a Gangnam Style spoof,called OB/GYNE Style, filmed at Sunnybrook hospital.

Tim Alamenciak 
Toronto Star Reporter 

It was meant to be a bit of light-hearted fun — a Gangnam Style parody set in Sunnybrook hospital’s maternity ward.

With lines like “Hey, pregnant ladies,” and “Hey, catching babies,” the obstetrics and gynecology wing staff bounced around with forceps and a fake baby.

But it wasn’t fun and games for everyone — Kalina Christoff, founder of Humanize Birth, an organization that advocates for “an increase in women having positive, empowered births,” took offense to several lines in the video and criticized the hospital for posting it on their official YouTube channel.

“Those that are offended tend to perceive a sense of attempt to control their bodies on the part of obstetricians during birth,” she said. “There are several segments where the jokes are about how an obstetrician walks in the room, the woman’s sexual organs start behaving . . . There’s the suggestion that the woman’s anatomy. . . (is) controlled by the obstetricians during the birth.”

“For example a line says ‘no matter what, we’ll deliver your baby’ — a lot of women take offense to that because they deliver their babies,” she said.

In response, the hospital pulled the video from YouTube, but Christoff says that’s not enough — she’s demanding an apology. Another user reposted the video to another YouTube site Thursday and it had drawn more than 10,000 views before it too was removed Saturday evening. Later Saturday night, it was posted yet again.

The original posting of the video, called OB/GYNE Style, garnered more than 90,000 views, said Craig Duhamel, vice president of communications at Sunnybrook hospital.

“People from other obstetrical units were writing in and saying they enjoyed it and that it allowed them to take a light look at their jobs which can sometimes be a little stressful,” said Duhamel. “We certainly didn’t want to upset anyone — it wasn’t our intention at all. While the overwhelming majority of people liked it, there were a few who were upset by it and we wanted to respect their feelings.”

He said the students responsible for the video, who are from the University of Toronto, won’t face any punishment from the hospital.

“It’s a fairly intense environment. We have the largest critical care capacity in the country and it can be quite a difficult place to work at times. If they can ease the stress by having a little bit of fun — I don’t see any harm in it,” said Duhamel, noting they would be more cautious with future videos.

 

OB/GYNE Style (Psy - Gangnam Style hospital parody)