07 March

why I hate pink breast cancer crap & 6 reasons queers should care

Topics:

queer

santé

militantisme féministe

It was recently breast cancer awareness month, and you are probably wondering why this is relevant to you, and why I think you need to be edumecated about it, amiright?

Well for all you queers out there, you might not have realized, but breast cancer culture is using OUR metaphor, claiming that breast cancer has “come out of the closet” in recent years. The pink ribbons and runs for the cure, they say, signal public acceptance of breast cancer, with women no longer feeling shameful of their disease. Sound familiar?

With the exception of Melissa Etheridge and season 3 of The L Word when Dana died of breast cancer, we rarely connect the issue of breast cancer with lesbians - and even more rarely with trans men - which I think, is exactly the issue Chaiken (et al) were trying to combat.

Breast cancer is probably one of the least talked about health issues in lesbian and trans circles, and, if I am right, we are probably the only sector of the female population not targeted – or affected - by marketing campaigns to buy ugly-ass gimmicky pink broaches and lipsticks “for the cure”. And, we probably DIDN'T participate in the horribly inane Facebook game last year asking us to update our statuses to the colour of our bras in order to “raise awareness” (and shame on you if you did). There is a good reason for this I think; breast cancer awareness – and the culture of breast cancer more generally – is a movement premised on and drawing strength from an ultra-femme and ultra-feminine conception of femaleness, fertility, family values, and heterosexuality (read: engaged in reproduction). This is the reason – let me know if I am wrong – that I think queers are not entirely engaged by, and therefore don't think about, breast cancer as a particularly politically or philosophically engaging topic.

That is why I THINK you DON'T care. Now, here is why you should. The breast cancer movement – not the disease, but rather, the philanthropic movement, what some call the cancer-industrial complex – has an ideology and politics that favours and bows down to large corporations and drug companies, is racist, classist, sexist, homophobic, and is a potential threat to feminism and to democracy. Barbara Ehrenreich calls this 'the pink ribbon breast cancer cult' so I am going to go with that because ithas a nice ring to it. Plus, there are a few things you should know about breast cancer if you are queer.

Strong words. I know. Stick with me and then we can discuss your feelings.

Reason #1: The pink ribbon breast cancer cult prospers at the expense of more politically charged women's health issues. Abortion rights were practically effaced in last years passing of the Stupak amendment in the US, with muted outrage. Barbara Ehreneich points out however, that celebrities rose to the occasion, vehemently protesting and lending their star power when the recommended age for mammographies was raised to 50. Abortion, domestic violence, rape, AIDS: these are morally thorny issues that politicians, corporations, and society generally can't agree to agree on. When everyone gets behind breast cancer, a relatively safe (and lucrative) cause they are excused from acting on other pressing issues related to women's health. In fact, they get a pat on the back, and a boost in approval ratings from female consumers, for giving a damn about women.

Reason #2: The pink ribbon breast cancer cult is a a very sad, but veryreal, example of 21st century feminism. It's what I call faux-feminism.I don't believe social activism with corporate sponsorship has any chance of lasting and meaningful social change. I don't believe that feminism – a once critical, angry, and unapologetic demand for equality – would dress up in pink frills, talk sweet, sleep with congress, and get banged by big business. It is complacent. It is pink, and pretty, and perky. It doesn't rock anyone's boat. It embraces rather than questions the ideals of nurturing and of femininity. It idealizes motherhood. It displaces a quest for equality. Races and runs for the cure attract thousands of women each year and yet it is nearly impossible to mobilize the same numbers of women for issues of domestic violence, fair wages, gay and lesbian rights, or abortion. This movement has adopted the concept of female solidarity, and talks the talk of women's rights and women's health. As one NYT columnist lamented about the current breast cancer culture this past fall: “rather than truly breaking silences, acceptable narratives of coping emerged, each tied up with a pretty pink bow.”

Save Reason # 3: The movement objectifies women's bodies and pepetuates asexualized straight cis gendered procreative female identity.The subject of breast cancer in this instance is a straight cis procreating woman. What matters most is saving "boobies", the eternal symbol of femininity. As this blogger writes, it is not only infantalizing, but itis objectifying and once again reduces a woman's worth to her anatomy:

" I see the shirts, the bracelets, the witty slogans. ‘I love boobies.’ ‘Grope for the cause.’ ‘If you don’t check them, I will.’ I am reminded by these things that I am not a person, a human being, a whole body. I am a pair of breasts. These campaigns objectify me and narrow in on the very thing about my body I care about the least. The thing that, actually, sometimes, I hate. Loathe. Because of what is buried inside my DNA, because of what is buried inside my brain. This thing that is objectified, it is the thing that will probably kill me."

Reason #4: The pink ribbon breast cancer cult/cancer-industrial complex is a capitalistic cumfest, the kind of thing marketers masturbate about.For realsies. Take the pink ribbon for example. The pink ribbon itself was a result of the marketing genius of Estée Lauder and Self magazine. This coincided with the rise of cause marketing in the late 80's when companies decided that their advertising money would be better spent on a “cause” that would transform consumers opinions and appeal to those consumers' emotions and concerns. Cause marketing would challenge the perception of corporations as heartless entities. Avon, this theory would suggest, made perhaps the best marketing decision in their entire history, as the company for women, by jumping on, or rather, spearheading the breast cancer movement. What better way to appeal to their female base? But, you might say, aren't they still doing good in the end? Well, maybe, except that large corporations actually typically SPEND MORE on advertising their pink ribbon do-gooding than they actually raise. Plus, with companies like Avon, it is the independent distributors who take the hit on pink ribbon products, not the company (Pink Ribbon Inc.). Many companies have a pre-determined donation amount regardless of how much they raise from the sale of pink ribbon products, which is again to say, that the companies are the one's profiting from breast cancer (Estee Lauder site). Perhaps one of the biggest culprits are drug companies; it was the AstraZeneca, the producer of breast cancer treatment drugs, who spearheaded and co-founded Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the first place. Get mad. Get real mad.

Reason #5: The pink ribbon breast cancer cult depends on the spirit of volunteerism. This, as such, may not seem like such a bad thing. However, the rise of volunteerism (especially in the US, but there is a similar trend in Canada) coincides with a reduction of the welfare state and government responsibility. Volunteerism, charity, fundraising – it is all a replacement for adequate health care and government CARE. As so many Americans can attest, inequality at the level of health care is one of the most debilitating and severe inequalities of all, especially because often it only compounds existing inequalities of race, class, or gender. Monies raised under the guise of “pink ribbon” fundraising do not ensure health care for women actually diagnosed with breast cancer, a disease which disproportionately affects African American and low-income women. While I believe charity and volunteerism play an important role in society, I am not convinced either should take place of government responsibility, nor should our voices be for sale to corporations, and nor should saving the lives of women – especially poor women – be up to the discretion of non-governmental organizations, regardless of their benevolence.

Reason # 6: Out lesbian and one of THE leading breast-care experts, Dr. Susan Love, recently admitted to the fact that Lesbians are at a disproportianite risk of developing breast cancer than their straight counterparts.

Inequality and discrimination at the level of health care in our country means that many lesbians are getting sub-standard treatment and are far less likely to get regular screenings that straight women, or to even have a regular health practitioner that they trust. Scary. She also points out that poverty, alcohol abuse, a tendancy towards obesity, and the fact that lesbians are less likely to have children (nulliparity) all are contributing factors, but I think this is only compounded by the fact that we are often left out of the conversation and many queers don’t know their risk. Very little research has been done about trans folks’ risk of breast cancer, but we do know that the medical system lacks awareness and resources to assess and deal with them.

These are some of the reasons I think you should care. I don't think that running for the cure is bad, or that you should curtail donations to your favourite charities. But I think a healthy dose of scepticism would be wise. Think before you pink, and encourage others to do the same.

Ok. Your turn. Discuss.

(or continue the conversation on twitter. Connect with me - @DearSimone )

Erika Jahn's intellectual interests range from philosophy, politics and
law, to queer theory, and feminist ethics. She is actively engaged in
activism related to food security issues, animal rights, literacy, and
the environment and is a passionate vegan cook. Her intellectual and
philosophical idol is Simone de Beauvoir and she works at Breast Cancer
Action Montreal as a Projects Coordinator, working on issues of women's
environmental health. She recently graduated from Harvard University
where she studied religion and politics. While originally hailing from
British Columbia she now makes Montreal home with her girlfriend
Rachelle and thier cat Boo. Follow her on twitter @DearSimone
@FemmeToxic or @BCAMontreal

Comments

Great post

Submitted by babeth on 8 March, 2011 - 11:13

Thank you for your
excellent post! I couldn’t agree more… Also, I can’t stand the whole “fighting /battle” metaphor
which is typical of late capitalism normative discourses. When I hear rich
Hollywood stars and suburban housewives talking about “survivors” as “winners”,
“beautiful strong women” who fought a good fight, I can’t help but wonder:
does it mean that women who actually die from breast cancer are weak? Indeed, it seems
like you can’t simply “die” of cancer nowadays because that makes you a “loser”.
The (virtuous) fight over cancer has become a “duty”, a responsibility towards your
friends and family as well as society at large (sick people are expensive and unproductive).

Yes!

Submitted by erika.jahn on 8 March, 2011 - 12:25

Babeth, you are totally right!

There are two issues that strike me as important here:

1. In one article among many, "Smile! You've got Cancer!", Barbara Ehrenreich explains that all the pink and pretty stuff is party meant to encourage positive thinking, or at least to force the "patient" into a space of pink complacency where they are not encourage - not allowed even - to express sadness, anger, bitterness. It is a pink space where the woman is forced to be bright and happy so as not to make everyone else around her feel awkward.

2.She also articulates as you have the problem with the "survivor/victor" vs. "loser/dead" paradigm:

", the words
"patient" and "victim," with their aura of self-pity and passivity, have
been ruled un-PC. Instead, we get verbs: those who are in the midst of
their treatments are described as "battling" or "fighting", sometimes
intensified with "bravely" or "fiercely" – language suggestive of Katharine Hepburn
with her face to the wind. Once the treatments are over, one achieves
the status of "survivor", which is how the women in my local support
group identified themselves, AA-style. For those who cease to be
survivors, again, no noun applies. They are said to have "lost their
battle" – our lost brave sisters, our fallen soldiers."

Thanks for your great comments!

Avon speaks out against DV for #IWD

Submitted by erika.jahn on 8 March, 2011 - 12:11

So, Avon is speaking out against Domestic Violence as part of international Women's Day, and Reese Witherspoon has created this PSA on the topic.

Isn't that great? Guess how they are speaking out? The sale of $10 "empowerment bracelets"! How cute, and inneffective.

Cause Marketing and moms!

Submitted by erika.jahn on 8 March, 2011 - 12:53

Thanks to Oren for sharing this link: "Cause marketing hits the Mother Lode of Support: Study" which talks about the target of cause marketing, ie. moms, and the "ribbonziation" of America.

Great points!

Submitted by jroselkim on 8 March, 2011 - 14:43

Thanks for this post! Excellent points about how the rise of volunteerism puts more onus on the individuals rather than the state - something I haven't considered before. I also dislike how the pink ribbon culture equates social causes with consumerism - you can't do good unless you buy, buy, buy. And after you buy those things, you're expected to pat yourself on the back and forget about the issues at large.

Totally true! Unfortunately

Submitted by erika.jahn on 8 March, 2011 - 15:18

Totally true! Unfortunately things like pink ribbon campaigns work because they are targeted to women and women are major, major consumers - which is another huge issue. Why are we always trying to find/fulfill/constitute/create our subjectivity through material things? Many studies also say that women are "emotional" consumers. But, I digress.

Thanks for the retweets and follow! <3

Your article

Submitted by JRobin Whitley on 8 March, 2011 - 16:57

Wow. I've never been a fan of this "pink breast cancer crap" and part of it was my annoyance that not all of us are "pink" type women but there was an intuitive red flag. So glad you posted this so I can be more aware and have some facts to go with the intuition!I hate the "Save the tatas" bumper stickers personally.

Thanks JRobin. That is my

Submitted by erika.jahn on 8 March, 2011 - 19:53

Thanks JRobin.

That is my intention. It is a hard topic because I think many people feel compelled to go with it rather than against it, and it is a difficult issue to put your finger on. Also, some may accuse you of being anti-woman, or something. I think we can all agree however that we are pro-woman and ANTI-breast cancer while not being in favour of this cultural movement, if that makes sense. i honestly think that most people are really well intentioned with this - even the ones that do the facebook-bra-colour thing. It is not all that self evident, which is why it is so important o problematize these issues, because surely the corporations profiting from it won't do it for you.

One resource that i really appreciate is this article written by a former BCAM intern, which takes a more serious tone than my own, but is equally well written and argued, and which was one of the first things I read on the issue.

http://bcam.qc.ca/content/profits-pink-0

You so rule...

Submitted by Carmen on 8 March, 2011 - 23:55

You are an incredibly courageous, intelligent and committed woman. I am so honoured to know you. And OMG, can you write!

Love C.

Talk about

Submitted by Bonnie on 9 March, 2011 - 02:34

Talk about Overgeneralizations!
I am so grateful for all of the help and science developed thru those $$$ that helped me battle my bout with breast cancer...Grateful that the Treatment was free of charge to me here in Canada...
I am an out femme lesbian!! Pink...well it's pink...what can I say...it's a color and doesn't offend me. If they used Purple would your feelings be any different? I think not....
How about an attitude of gratitude, for a change, instead of attacks against movements that are not for or against our way of life...if we want others to respect us and not think there is anything wrong with GLBTs, then let's not act as if there is, ourselves...sort of defeats the purpose of equality, don't you think?

Thanks for your feedback

Submitted by erika.jahn on 9 March, 2011 - 09:58

Thanks for your feedback Bonnie. This is what the blogging carnival is all about, and it wouldn't be a good discussion if there weren't dissenting voices. I think your opinion is a common one, and I don't mean to minimize the experiences of those women who have had or have breast cancer in any way. I haven't myself, although many women in my family have, and yet for myself if (knock on wood) it were to happen, and for those I care about, I believe that there needs to be a legitimate space for them to express and feel a variety of emotions about their cancer and not feel infantalized, objectified, or sexualized by their disease. I think this movement, while there may be some good, does more to shut women up and to silence their experiences.

There is nothing inately bad about pink. There is actually nothing inate about pink at all, but like all things that are part of culture, any culture, they can and do become cultural signifiers, as pink has. It is not just simply a "color", just a maple leaf or a rainbow for example are just "objects", they give meaning and are infused with meaning. Many people have described breast cancer as black or gray - something dark and ugly - not in any way bright, pink or cheery, so why do we signify breast cancer with the most feminine of colors? I think we need to ask difficult questions about these type of things. I don't personally have a problem with pink per se, and even though I identify as queer, wear and incorporate a lot of pink into my life, but I think those are two very different things.

Again I will defer to Barbara Ehrenreich on this one, only because she has had breast cancer herself and is always more eloquent than I could hope to be: (The full article is here.)

" I began to suspect that the
purpose of the breast cancer culture—with it’s teddy bears, and crayons
and cosmetics and pinkness—is to get us to regress to a child-like
state, to suspend critical judgment, and get us to accept whatever the
medical profession wants to do to us." - B. Ehrenreich

Finally, this article really isn't all about lesbians and queer female-identified people as it is about femninism and all self-identified women, (and trans men, too), BUT, it was an attempt to address some of my concerns while also pointing out that lesbians ARE often left out of this discussion completely. Do a good search on breast cancer and lesbians - you will find this: something abuot Melissa etheridge or Susan Love, maybe something about the L word. Not only that, but I think, as I have argued, that the ultra-femme/feminine nature of the movement leaves out many women who either don't identify as such or dont feel comfortable with the objectification of their anatomy.

Article

Submitted by Bonnie on 9 March, 2011 - 16:46

Points well taken, Erika...I can see and understand your views...
I can even endorse much of what you say....
I just have not felt that, in this instance, the toys and pink objects that are sold to encourage financial support, need to personally attack the gender of one who is a recipient of the good that resulted. Feminist I Am...but I really think the campaign is about attracting the public, not putting down those who are recipients!
Maybe some input and participation by this group could modify some of the complaints so that the campaign is more palatable to all?
Any ideas?

So, a couple things in

Submitted by erika.jahn on 10 March, 2011 - 12:49

So, a couple things in response.

First, my brilliant colleague pointed out to me regarding this issue, that most of the money that goes into the research is actually federal dollars, and that the money from pink ribbon campaigns is a small portion of total research money. Also, very little of the money they raise from selling products actually goes to research.

And also, in response to you and others' questions, the organization for which I work and from which I draw much inspiration and information is Breast Cancer Action Montreal which is an activist organization as much as it is a women's environmental health organization. We are directly involved in issues of environmental health, and interested in PRIMARY prevention. We are interested in what CAUSES cancer, like the toxins in the cosmetics with pink ribbons all over them for instance. I would check out the BCAM website for more about the organization and what kinds of work we are doing to ensure that there are other critical voices involved in this movement.

As always, thanks for your passion and comments. They are sincerely appreciated.

Enough is Enough!

Submitted by AnnaR on 9 March, 2011 - 14:19

Erika - this essay is absolutely brilliant. I'm reading this from the perspective of a forty year old straight woman dealing with metastatic breast cancer, so although I too feel marginalized and let down by the pretty pink ultra-feminized infantilized feel-good survivable breast cancer movement, I'm not able to intelligently comment on the issues felt by the GLBT community. But because of this post my eyes have been opened to yet another sector of the community who is virtually ignored by the "pink ribbon" cause. Unfortunately the corporatized pink machine has come to think of itself as speaking for the entire breast cancer movement and it's message is the only one that counts. Nothing could be further from the truth and I am as uncomfortable as you are with the current state of affairs. Whilst we continue to drown in this sea of pink, women are still dying, with mortality rates barely unchanged in decades. Enough is enough. I want something better. For all of us.

Thank you for your gracious

Submitted by erika.jahn on 9 March, 2011 - 14:39

Thank you for your gracious comments Anna! As I mentioned before, this really isn't just for queer women and I am so happy that so many different women are finding meaning and resonnance in it. :)

Over 700 reads!

Submitted by erika.jahn on 9 March, 2011 - 14:42

The Girls Action women are amazing! So many people sharing and commenting both publicly and privately! So inspiring.

breast cancer pink

Submitted by drpatt on 9 March, 2011 - 16:54

What would Audrey Lourde say?

Well OBVIOUSLY something

Submitted by erika.jahn on 9 March, 2011 - 19:33

Well OBVIOUSLY something brilliant! More brilliant than me!

Maybe something like this:

"...I have a duty to speak the truth as I see it and to share not just my triumphs, not just the things that felt good, but the pain, the intense, often unmitigating pain. It is important to share how I know survival is survival and not just a walk through the rain. "

Funny Video!

Submitted by Marie-Claude on 9 March, 2011 - 17:08

Erin Gibson, for Current.tv, did a really fun video on breast cancer awareness for her weekly segment Modern Lady.

http://current.com/shows/infomania/92725542_pinktoberbest-modern-lady-shows-some-pink.htm

Awesome video!

Submitted by erika.jahn on 9 March, 2011 - 19:28

I thought I had seen almost everything on this topic! This is fantastic! So funny - thank you for sharing!!!

does anybody know of an

Submitted by drpatt on 9 March, 2011 - 17:25

does anybody know of an alternative organization to support--one that is researching prevention, for instance, with an eye to environmental causes and/or the important interactions between genetic risk and environmental toxins? One that does not use pink--which I do respond to with an instant "not me" feeling---it's the color of the Easy Bake Oven and of Pepto Bismal--to stand in for something that isn't at all happy or sexy or confined to the traditional good girl princess norm?
There are, I think, serious problems with the pink campaign. For one, I think we are all plenty aware of breast cancer--it has claimed two dear friends of mine, and lesbians in their 50's are the highest risk demographic. Yes, lesbians. Why us? nobody knows yet. But I digress...awareness in and of itself isn't the most pressing goal; we're already there.
Linking awareness of a compassionate cause, one that hits us all in the gut as we have lost loved ones and fear this disease almost above all others, to buying branded products bothers me. I seems like Avon is exploiting the memory of my friend Janet, for instance, who would just hate that. And how much from that pink lipstick goes to research? to services for women with cancer?
Third, there are three branches to breast cancer services: Research in (general, not individual) prevention, research in early diagnosis and treatment, and services to patients. The treatment arm of this is best funded and most subsidized through the pink ribbon campaign, and it is also the only branch that is directly tied to a for-profit industry that is doing just fine, thank you. Early diagnosis through mammograms is part of that industry. I'm glad that it is there, but let's look at the rest.
The prevention arm needs money, and it is also very political. We're talking environmental cleanup. Prevention has been individualized by the media, and there is nothing wrong with the advice to eat more vegetables. 8 to 10 fruits and veggies a day, no friend foods. I do my part. But I still wonder about the Bovine growth hormone in my milk--who put that there? Is it safe? And, while we're on the topic, what is IN that pink lipstick? How "clean" is the cosmetic industry that embraces the pink campaign?
The patient support and services arm is the third area supported by volunteerism and charity. It ranges from excellent and diversity-embracing to coercive and trite; I want to decide for myself, if the time comes, what to do about replacing my boobs for public. Audre Lourde, if I recall, had some very eloquent things to say about being turned down as a breast cancer mentor for refusing to wear prothetic breasts. At its best, the support system for breast cancer raises the bar for how we should treat ALL people who require serious medical interventions. We should ALL have the benefit of options well-explained to us, hands to hold, prayers, retreats and (self-chosen) things to lift our awareness of our own beauty even in the worst of times. This, I support.
Didn't mean to write an essay...
"you can take the professor out of the classroom, but...."

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome.

Submitted by erika.jahn on 10 March, 2011 - 12:54

Awesome. So as I mentioned above, the organization I work for Breast Cancer Action Montreal, is really involved in this type of work. We are a women's environmental health activist organization and we are particularly interested in toxic chemicals in women's cosmetics, and in our total envrionment. So please, please do check out our site: www.bcam.qc.ca and we also have a youth project called FemmeToxic www.femmetoxic.com which specifically address the issue of cosmetics and youth.

We are totally with you on the prevention issue, which is why we are trying to educate people about what could be CAUSING cancer instead of just on ways to cure it. Definitely check out the website.

And of course, I only touched on a FEW Of the issues with the pink campaigns in this article - only the ones I felt were relevant to my topic but there are many more as you have alluded to.

Thanks for the feedback!

pinkwashing and cosmetics

Submitted by erika.jahn on 10 March, 2011 - 13:02

(No subject)

Submitted by erika.jahn on 10 March, 2011 - 13:05

Breast Cancer Action

Submitted by Breast Cancer Action on 14 March, 2011 - 15:02

This blog brings up some excellent issues. Though I am posting this in response to drpatt's query as to alternative breast cancer organizations, I encourage all readers to check out the following organization:

Breast Cancer Action, founded in 1990, is a national breast cancer education and advocacy organization based in San Francisco. We carry the voices of those affected by breast cancer to inspire and compel the changes necessary to end the breast cancer epidemic. Breast Cancer Action aims to end the breast cancer epidemic through understanding and elimination of the causes of breast cancer, redirecting research to find a true cure with treatments that don't nearly kill people, and working for universal access to quality care. In pursuit of these goals, we examine all sides of breast cancer issues, tell the truth about what we discover, and encourage people to participate fully in decisions relating to breast cancer.

Instead of the typical focus on individual actions to mitigate risk of disease, Breast Cancer Action recognizes that policies influence the choices an individual can and will make. We advocate for policy change in three priority areas:
1. Treatment- By shifting the balance of power at the FDA away from the pharmaceutical industry and toward the public interest while advocating for more effective and less toxic treatments.
2. Environment- Decreasing involuntary exposures that put people at risk for breast cancer.
3. Inequities- Creating awareness that it's not just about genes, but social injustices- political, economic, and racial inequities- that lead to disparities in breast cancer occurrence and outcomes.

Breast Cancer Action is responsible for Think Before You Pink® (http://thinkbeforeyoupink.org) which features critical questions to ask before buying any pink-ribboned products. You can find the critical questions at http://thinkbeforeyoupink.org/?page_id=13. Part of the Think Before You Pink ® campaign is the Milking Cancer campaign (http://thinkbeforeyoupink.org/?page_id=2) aimed at eliminating rBGH from the milk supply.

Breast Cancer Action's priority to eliminate environmental exposures includes efforts to ensure the safety of cosmetics. You can find out more about the Safe Cosmetics, including a list of paraben-free and phalate-free cosmetics at http://bcaction.org/our-take-on-breast-cancer/environment/safe-cosmetics.

It seems Breast Cancer Action addresses many of drpatt's concerns. Check us out!!

Thanks for your comments and

Submitted by Bonnie on 9 March, 2011 - 22:56

Thanks for your comments and perspective, Dr Patt....
I would support an alternate organization encompassing prevention and also treatment options...Pink, green or yellow...it doesn't matter to me...what does matter is that cancer, and of course for me breast cancer, prevention and treatment moves forward at warp speed....and yes public support is needed and desired....I'll follow leaders who have good solid ideas and ways to impliment them....

A queer example

Submitted by Jess MG on 10 March, 2011 - 09:09

As someone supporting someone going through breast cancer right now, I can say we get raised hairs on our back with the whole consumerist complex placed on breast cancer.

I would caution about over-academic theories about the whole cancer experience and identity because when you do chemo every week can't eat or swallow then lose your hair, eyelashes, eyebrows and fingernails, have one or two breasts and some muscle amputated, get permanent marker drawings and tattoos of the periphery of the cancer and go for radiation every day -- the feminist theoretical discourse can be just as dehumanizing.

feminism in action?

For an example of queering up breast cancer treatment, I might recommend Annie Sprinkle and Elizabeth Stephen's work. They did chemo fashion shows to amuse themselves on hospital visits. http://www.queerculturalcenter.org/Pages/HopePgs/sprinkle.html

Point well taken. Thank you.

Submitted by erika.jahn on 10 March, 2011 - 12:54

Point well taken. Thank you. This is a real fear of mine at all times, because I really don't want to delegitimize the REAL LIVED experiences of women, so thank you for pointing this out.

Irene Monroe article

Submitted by erika.jahn on 10 March, 2011 - 12:43

So many great things to respond to here, but I just wanted to first point out this great article from Rev. Irene Monroe, a member of my alma mater, but also a black out lesbian feminist scholar and theologian whose work I greatly admire.

Check out here piece for International Women's Day here which talks about the problem of marketing toxic cosmetics to black women. Not TOTALLY related, but super good, and many of you had brought up issues of envronmental health.

I certainly will not feel

Submitted by Hpets on 23 March, 2011 - 15:21

I certainly will not feel ashamed for taking part in the Facebook thing. When someone invited me to do a certain status post for breast cancer awareness, it led to me reading up more about breast cancer. Then I sent the invite to my female friends, and soon after one of them posted a link to this article, which I also read (and learned a lot from, even if I disagree with some things you've said). The way I see it, people are talking about breast cancer, and that's a good thing.

Wow, never have I been

Submitted by Anne on 4 May, 2011 - 16:38

Wow, never have I been exposed to, and felt such hatred of ME, a heterosexual, by other females. I have NEVER thrown such distain at other women because they are not like me. But through the excuse of fighting a disease, you manage to marginalize and condemn heterosexual women for doing something that just might one day benefit YOU! All this because you feel left out! You can only be left out if you refuse to take part. As one who has helped with the "Pink" activities, I too, despise the color; but it's just a color! The color, however, is NOT representative of society's failure to include lesbians in the "discussion". Like it or not you are female and you are in the discussion whether you participate or not. Besides, what's to discuss? FEMALE = minimum 50% chance of breast cancer. There is no exclusion here. White, black, asian, straight, lesbian, we are ALL susceptible to breast cancer. If the "discussion" seems to be made primarily by heterosexual women, whom you clearly show distain for by throwing in the "reproductive" insult, it's because the someone who started it was probably a mom who lost a daughter, or a granddaughter who lost a grandmother, or a daughter who lost a mom. Where do YOU fit in? Aren't you a daughter, or were you materialized from carpet fuzz? Though you postulate that lesbians were/are ignored and left out of the discussion, it is not a closed discussion. Stop hating others because they saw the need to stand up and do something, though seemingly trite. If the stupid pink ribbons, pink yogurt lids, and tacky pink jewelry sales will mean even ONE woman each year does that self-exam, gets that mammo, and gets diagnosed at a very early stage and is saved the trauma of chemo, radiation and "death from treatment", I say the pink can stay. By the way, I have helped at "Pink" events where not only were there women, gay and straight, supporting each other,(one in her mid-80's and a 50-year survivor) but there were two MEN who participated as survivors of breast cancer. Now THERE'S a demographic group that just might have the right to complain about being left out of the discussion! May you NEVER need to be told you have cancer of any type. Breast cancer survivor because I say so: 1 year 6 months 15 days.