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Think outside of that pink box!
Monday, 5 October 2009 02:15 pmDear America:
Stop buying pink crap.
It's made of carcinogens. It's mass-produced in a factory that spews carcinogens into its local community, in a country that's happy with carcinogens, if they are cost-effective. It is representative of cancer awareness only in a bitterly ironic postmodern sort of way.
Stop spinning your wheels with that delusion that talking about something is the same as taking action, and do something with a real, tangible result.
Breast cancer's press is second only to erectile dysfunction. We are all fully aware of it, thanks. We do not need more awareness, more senseless pink signposts designed to make us stop and think, "Ah, yes, boobs get cancer. Thank you, self-important young woman, for wearing that pink shirt."
Or raise awareness not of the cancer, but of services out there to prevent, catch and treat the cancer. Teach someone how to perform a breast self-exam. Teach a classroom of someones how to do it (but get permission first--parents are twitchy these days). Spread the word about free or cheap mammograms or breast exams at local clinics.
Best of all, stop "raising awareness" and start raising money.
Screw that fraction of a penny from your purchase of pink tchotchkes that goes to something vaguely to do with breast cancer or awareness--maybe research, maybe just advertising for more pink crap. Donate a percentage out of your wages, clean out the attic and donate the yard sale proceeds, get sponsors and do the walk/run, whatever--just do something.
And how about doing it for cancer research in general? Lung, stomach, pancreatic, colon, ovarian/uterine, bone--all of those and breast cancer have hit my family. We don't need a month for every cancer (what a depressing year...), we need a broader view on cancer research. A little awareness, if you will...
Stop buying pink crap.
It's made of carcinogens. It's mass-produced in a factory that spews carcinogens into its local community, in a country that's happy with carcinogens, if they are cost-effective. It is representative of cancer awareness only in a bitterly ironic postmodern sort of way.
Stop spinning your wheels with that delusion that talking about something is the same as taking action, and do something with a real, tangible result.
Breast cancer's press is second only to erectile dysfunction. We are all fully aware of it, thanks. We do not need more awareness, more senseless pink signposts designed to make us stop and think, "Ah, yes, boobs get cancer. Thank you, self-important young woman, for wearing that pink shirt."
Or raise awareness not of the cancer, but of services out there to prevent, catch and treat the cancer. Teach someone how to perform a breast self-exam. Teach a classroom of someones how to do it (but get permission first--parents are twitchy these days). Spread the word about free or cheap mammograms or breast exams at local clinics.
Best of all, stop "raising awareness" and start raising money.
Screw that fraction of a penny from your purchase of pink tchotchkes that goes to something vaguely to do with breast cancer or awareness--maybe research, maybe just advertising for more pink crap. Donate a percentage out of your wages, clean out the attic and donate the yard sale proceeds, get sponsors and do the walk/run, whatever--just do something.
And how about doing it for cancer research in general? Lung, stomach, pancreatic, colon, ovarian/uterine, bone--all of those and breast cancer have hit my family. We don't need a month for every cancer (what a depressing year...), we need a broader view on cancer research. A little awareness, if you will...
