Breast cancer awareness month has bugged me for years– I imagine the cheap plastic factories overseas churning out all manner of things, rubbing their palms over how quickly women open their wallets to anything pink or emblazoned with the Susan G Komen ribbon. I may be the biggest cynic in the free female world, but it’s a marketing charade I just can’t get behind.
Before I’m lynched, I’ll put it out there: I am not anti-breast cancer research.
I’ve known too many women lost to the disease and their families devastated to be that cold-hearted. Like everyone, I pray that a cure is found for breast cancer.
It’s just the bullshit I can’t abide.
Not surprisingly, when I found out that this whole “I like it on the…” Facebook meme was a flirty trend that somehow was meant to “raise awareness for breast cancer,” I was equally grossed out.
“This time, ladies are telling us how and where they “like it.” For example, “I like it on the bed.” A sampling of recent “I likes” include: the kitchen table, the backseat of a car, my nightstand, the floor, in the closet, on the stairs, on a bar stool and on the washing machine. This is meant to raise awareness — not about kinky female fantasies, but, inexplicably, breast cancer.”
The thinking behind this anonymously started trend (which, in the end, is supposedly where ladies like to put their purses, and not, surprisingly, their breasts) is to get guys thinking about sex (silly boys, always thinking about sex!), and then the not-so-surprising leap to breasts. And from their love of breasts to “breast cancer” to, I guess, “I should donate some money to breast cancer research,” or “maybe my girlfriend would like a pink can opener for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.”
This Facebook phenomenon is an echo of January’s “bra color” campaign. It seems to me, that, especially when it comes to bra colors, or where you “like it,” the impact on the actual fight against actual breast cancer is actually nil. People are well aware of breast cancer. Who are we converting?
I may be ranting, and I may be making enemies of even my own Facebook friends, but as a girl who owns no “pink” gear and doesn’t plan on it anytime soon, I stand my ground.
I think it’s marketing disguised as altruism. What about you?
4 comments:
Word.
It IS marketing disguised as altruism. Preying on people's emotions is easy money. It's everywhere and it's probably made in China.
J
Even worse -- it's guilt marketing disguised as altruism. Remember how at the transplanniversary if you didn't buy a 50/50 you were automatically entered to win an "I hate Greg" t-shirt? With a local group of good-natured friends, that's hilarious. On a global scale of relative strangers, it's horrifying.
No kidding.
I have been requested numerous times to change my status. I know I will most likely catch hell for this, but I find it just gross.
I am relieved I'm not the only one woman who feels this way.
FYI See Magazine has a good article on "pinkwashing" this week.
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