There are a million reasons why I hate the pinkapalooza that is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. First of all, when I was writing my book I learned that BCAM was originally funded by Astra Zeneca, the makes of Tamoxifen. Now, I’m sure they had nothing but our best interests at heart, but one way you might look at their involvement is this: telling women to get annual mammograms means finding more breast cancer. And finding women with breast cancer means finding new customers for Tamoxifen.
I say this as a woman who believes I am alive today because a mammogram detected a tumor, an aggressive tumor, that was not detectable by self-exam or even by a doctor’s exam. So I’m not arguing against mammograms. I’m just saying Astra Zeneca has a vested interest in Breast Cancer Awareness Month and for many years, they had final say on how it was promoted.
Now, of course, some 22 years later, it’s completely out of control. We Shop, Therefore we Cure is the clear message. Buy some pink crap, a blender or a dirt devil or a condom, and a tiny fraction of that money will go to breast cancer research.
One of my personal favorites is Breast Cancer Barbie. (Ok, technically, it’s Pink Ribbon Barbie.) What I love most is that Mattel, in announcing that Pink Ribbon Barbie would be working the toy shelves, if not the streets, for breast cancer, they said that the doll would help open a dialogue between kids and their cancer stricken moms.
Really?
How does that go?
“Hey kids, see this pretty Barbie? This is what Mommy never looked like. And now that she’s got breast cancer, she doesn’t look like Barbie even more!”
Most of all, I hate how much the pink ribbons prettify an ugly, tragic, awful thing. We should not be wrapping up this epidemic in pink ribbons. It gives the rest of the world the false sense that it’s all okay, and it gives the women who are victims (yes, victims) the sense that if they complain, if they’re angry, there’s something wrong with them. They should simply smile and be grateful for all the people buying all that pink crap.
As for me, I don’t buy pink in October (although once I filled my pocket with pink M and M’s that were in a big bowl in a shop in Soho—does that count?)
I love that the anti-pinkapalooza is no longer much of a contrarian point of view. Now, if we could just banish those yellow Live Strong bracelets…..
1 comment:
As someone who had a mastectomy on Sept. 25, and am in the middle of reconstruction and decisions about further treatment, I am struggling with the number of people I am trying not to offend by refusing their gifts of expensive breast cancer support bracelets from Brighton, the t-shirts bought in "my name", the pink ribbons and candy, etc...I am made to feel ungrateful and rude because I am not thrilled with these gifts.
I am also made to feel guilty because I am obviously hiding my stress because I am not crying all the time or feeling sorry for myself. People do not seem to understand that I NEED to have a sense of humor about all of this and a sense of comfort with my new self.
I talk about my BAB (my tissue expander) and work to be comfortable with my new self and body part and people still say, "OH the stress you must be experiencing!"...I understand that everyone's intentions and attentions are good, however, I am not dead, don't intend to be for awhile if I can help it, and this is just another challenge and a reality I am dealing with.
Yes, I am tired sometimes and need a nap. Yes, I am stressed sometimes but moe often it has to do with insurance companies, long waits at the doctor's office, and medical bills. Yes, i am sad sometimes, but not as often as everyone seems to think I should be. I really see no point in feeling sorry for myself or playing the "why me"...I'm over that and onto the next phase.
Interestingly, people don't want to seem to help you if you don't act the way they expect. I don't quite get it and pinkapalooza really doesn't help matters much.
Thanks for letting me vent. The support folks called me 2 days after my surgery and when I asked them to call back in a week when I wouldn't be on as many pain meds, they never called back. So much for support groups. Your book and blog give me so much support that my reactions and feelings are normal in this process and that I am a real woman not a made-for-tv movie.
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