So, do these "I Love Boobies" bracelets and "Save the Ta-Tas" campaigns truly raise awareness for breast cancer?
Well, in case you were wondering, here are my opinions on the matter...
I find them completely and utterly distasteful.
My mother battled breast cancer for 8 long and agonizing years before ultimately losing her life to this terrible disease. In the process, she was severely disfigured from multiple surgical procedures as well as from the cancer itself.
To me, these kinds of slogans and campaigns make a laughing stock out of just how horrifying this disease can truly be. They place the focus on a part of the body, NOT on the life of the person...which is what truly matters. As I stated earlier, my mother was left severely deformed, so these types of campaigns made her feel even more insecure about her breast disfigurements and was made to feel "less of a woman" without breasts because so much emphasis was placed on the body part and not the person.
They trivialize the seriousness of the issue and objectify body parts of women thus turning this disease into something sexual.
As a mother, I want my son to learn to treat women with respect...hearing others refer to a woman's body parts so haphazardly does nothing to help in this area.
As a woman and the mother of a daughter, I find these terms degrading and they cause men to focus on the physical appearance of breasts rather than the actual underlying disease.
Some people will say, 'But they raise awareness and any publicity is good publicity'.
Really?!? Last time I checked, people don't go around calling mens' breasts 'boobies' or 'ta-tas'. These bracelets and campaigns totally gloss over the fact that men can have this disease too. Sure, not close to the extent in which women are diagnosed, but the threat is there nonetheless. (see statistics here)
Who do you see wearing these bracelets?
...Men and teenagers...mostly boys, but I have seen a few girls as well. Moms - do you really want your boys wearing these?
Do they truly care about breast cancer or just the fact they can blatantly get away with wearing something that says "I love Boobies" out in public? And, seeing that males (more so than females) wear them really makes me raise some eyebrows as to their reasons for wearing them.
I think I'll strike up conversations next time. Should make for some interesting ones.
What if these slogans, phrases, and campaigns were used in the context of other types of cancers, would they still be so widely accepted?
Here is just a small list of them. I'm sure you can use your imagination as to what the slogan might be. No, I am not intentionally trying to be crude, but seriously stop and think about it. I am aware there is already a bracelet or two on the market that "raises awareness" of some of these cancers. And yes, I find those disgraceful and distasteful too. I personally know some great men who had testicular tumors and cancers removed and a few nearly lost their lives because of it. Don't even get me started on the 'other' slogans being pushed out there. And would you want your daughters wearing those bracelets!?!...I digress...
anal cancer
cervical cancer
Colon Cancer
Colorectal cancer
Ovarian Cancer
Penile Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Rectal Cancer
Testicular Cancer
Vaginal Cancer
Sorry if this post offends you. With the close of breast cancer awareness month all my thought on the issue are finally spilling over. And yes, I am aware there are those people out there wearing these bracelets who have no clue of the message they are really sending or just how hurtful and harmful they can be to others. I just think there are more helpful, beneficial, and worthwhile ways of raising the awareness of breast cancer...
So...what do you think about these bracelets and slogans?
