Pink: Not just for Pepto Bismol anymore

dlb823

Or wanting to remember that chapter in your life with a Christmas ornament?!?!?!  Who the heck do they think is going to buy those? 

Jane_M

I just went to the thinkbeforeyoupink website and was quite enlightened.  I notice that a lot of this money goes to the Susan G. Komen foundation.  I have been to the Komen site and read the story, but what exactly are they doing to fight breast cancer.  Forgive my ignorance.

Maire67

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ellenoire

I think if the ornaments were shaped like boobs the tree might be interesting, but I don't think most people would want that in their homes.

 LisaSDCA- thanks for letting us know that!  Don't worry, I think we all know deep down that some of these products are doing good work, but we are just letting off steam about how frustrating it is that we are lied to by the others.

 I am sure there are some items on here some of us might care to own, and some others might never touch. Life is always like that. Different strokes..... 

Personally, if there was a tree ornament shaped like a boob I would buy a bunch of them. 

 A giraffe pooping a ribbon? Not so much! 

rock

(Psssssst, Otter! See what you started, sister?!  xoxxoxo)

leaf

Hi LeftyAKANancy:  I have heard stories of how pink came to be for girls and blue for boys.  It didn't used to be that way!

In Western culture, the practice of assigning pink to an individual gender began in the 1920s^[3]. From then until the 1940s, pink was considered appropriate for boys because it was the more masculine and decided color while blue was considered appropriate for girls because it was the more delicate and dainty color^[4][5]. Since the 1940s, the societal norm apparently inverted so that pink became appropriate for girls and blue appropriate for boys, a practice that has continued into the 21st century^[6]. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink

GramE

Thanks leaf,.  So, pink used to be more masculine.... hmmmmm !!!!    When I was out yesterday I did not see anything new in the pink parade of merchandise, but there has been so much posted here I may no longer be shocked to find ribbons on food and toilet paper !!!

SonCallsMeEarl

   This thread just totally "makes my day" by starting it with LAUGHTER!!!!

                THANKS everyone, mucho

BethNY

Hello, I HAVE THE ORNAMENT.  I'm a JEW, and I have not one, not two, but THREE BC ornaments.  One of them even doubles as a pin!!!

Why do these count as gifts? Seriously?

drcrisc

Okay, I found a new ribbon/color yesterday for lymphoma.  It's green.  A nice generic color.  Although I also noticed the magnetic car ribbon was about half the size of the pink (or yellow or flag colored) ones.  Saw a whole display of pink cookies yesterday in Walmart.

SonCallsMeEarl

   You know, I wear a lot of Victoria's Secret clothing, and they are big on using the "word" PINK on many of their sweat pants, panties, etc. Soooooo, I wonder when and/or if they will start doing the bc "pink thing".....Hmmm???

NancyD

OK, saw this ad on the Net. I don't know waht to make of it, really. Aren't most Nintendo owners male? At least, they are in my family. I don't know a man who would want to be playing on this machine. Any male child who got this would be srcaping off the pink ribbon in a heartbeat.

Also, very annoying is the "small print" at the bottom of the ad that states $5 of the $130 price will go to the Susan G. Koman Foundation. That's less than 5%.

badboob67

Oh, ICK! I HAVE a Nintendo DS (take it with me to pass the time during infusions sometimes). Mine is pink, but that's because my dh and ds's bought it for me and pink USED to be my favorite color. Even so, I think they all know I would have thrown it back at them if it had a pink ribbon on it.

My apologies about the previous post re: the "lighter" side of cancer. I guess I just don't "get" it.

hunkydory

More Wine....

rock

Now selling bottles of ALCOHOL for breast cancer makes some sense!  Though a semi-sweet riesling? How about something "crisply acidic with noticeable menopausal tones; bloated in the finish..."

kerry_lamb

I just peed my pants again! THE LIGHTER SIDE OF BREAST CANCER?????? W-h-a-a-a-a-t???

Actually (sober moment) maybe they DO mean the hair! I've got a 5 o'clock shadow on the left side of my head. Oh shite!.. (Another sobering thought) ..no breast, no ovary and no hair on the right side. What can this mean???

Keep it up girls! And don't forget the 'contribution' all that red (pink) food additive is making to the cancer 'risks' lists...wtf! 

Jane_M

What an eye-opener.  I went to Wal-Mart today to gather the supplies I'll be needing after Monday and I couldn't believe the pink stuff I saw: Jello pudding, Welch's grape juice, water bottles, garbage bags, kleenex, cream cheese, yogurt, cool whip and, of course, Pepperidgr farm cookies.  And I wasn't even looking for the stuff.  It just happened to be along my shopping route.  I looked at some of them to see where the money was going  Some of them just said "breast cancer research," others went to the Susan G. Komen center. However, some of them just had a pink ribbon on them and there was nothing on the package that said anything about breast cancer.  If I had not come to this site, I would have known nothing about "pink washing"  It amazes me how low some industries will stoop to make a buck. 

BethNY

here is just one of the ornaments-- the one that doubles as a pin... the others are stored away (which is code for I have no clue where I put them)

BethNY

ha ha ha-- I found another:

Did I mention Jews don't have christmas trees??? LOL

badboob67

LOL Beth...Maybe you should have a "cancer tree"...D'oh!

sbmolee

Not sure if you can see the Boycott October from last year and the design for this year's button.

Website is www.assertivepatient.com  and you can order this year's "doesn't look like a ribbon - does it" button.  Would make a great tshirt! 

 Also web site shows pink ribbon english muffins!!?? wtf...

Some Loose Ends on Pink Ribbons

I mailed out more than 100 Boycott October buttons this year, and received dozens of e-mails from breast cancer survivors and women living with breast cancer who hate pink ribbons. Many of their comments are posted to my blog. See We Hate PINK!

So far, only ONE (1) WOMAN who has had breast cancer has written to tell me that she likes pink ribbon merchandise.

The other people who like this shlock are the marketers who sell it, and a number of people who have (or had) a friend or relative with breast cancer. They seem to feel that they are doing something to help by buying pink merchandise, and they don't want to hear the facts that would pop their bubble.

Next year's Boycott October button has already been designed, by Sara, an artist, blogger, and friend of mine. Sara writes, "Anyone ever tell you [that] you wear your cancer like a badge? Well, why not actually do that? We have the technology!"

The graphic is a breast cancer cell, in black and white, and the text says, "Doesn't look much like a ribbon, does it?"

I'll have these ready to go in plenty of time for next October, so get your requests in early! In October 2008, I will be in Japan, about as far from the pink ribbon madness as I can get.

For our Cancer Bloggers Reunion here in Seattle in late July, Sara suggested making these for all the different kinds of cancer that will be represented at the reunion. So if you have lung cancer, you get a badge with a lung cancer cell, or a prostate cancer cell if that's the disease you have, and so on.

otter

I think I've had too much of that pink BC wine.  The whole right-hand side of this page is scrolling off my computer screen.   Somebody's line length is too long.  It's making me dizzy!  

Dizzy...I'm so dizzy my head is spinning,  like a whirlpool it never ends...  AAAAACK!

Please!  Make it stop!

otter 

Juli50

And it's You girl makin' it spin
You're making me dizzy... now THAT song is stuck in my head!

Anyway...I'm going to be in the audience of The Ellen Show (airing Wednesday, I think, but it's taping Tuesday) for a special Breast Cancer Survivor show to kickoff Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Wonder if I'll be getting free gifts that are pink???

gsg

Oh, I'd say that's pretty much a given, Juli. Hope you post some pics of your pink loot.

I have to come clean and say the stuff doesn't really bother me...but I do find a lot of it pretty funny...especially a breast cancer Christmas tree or trashy breast cancer high heels.  Imagine walking around in those things..LOL.

Anonymous

Saw some Pink cream cheese the other day while shopping.  Kraft donating to Komen!  Its everywhere.

Nicki

LuAnnH

Ok, why can't we make something pink and donate the proceeds to us "breast cancer survivors trying to survive"????

abbadoodles

Just received next week's sale flyer from my local supermarket chain (to start October 2) and guess what?  The whole damn thing, eight full pages, is loaded with pink.  Even the banners at the top of the pages is pink!  WHY do they think this is such a good idea?  I have half a mind to send them an email telling them that it is not only offensive to those who have or have had bc but is upsetting to many as well, reminding us of things we would prefer to ignore.  As if.

Jane_M

Rock,

I've been noticing you on a lot of my favorite threads and I have to tell you that I think you are just beautiful.  You look just as good on your blog.  You make bald look elegant.  Your posts have been a big help, too.  None of us would ever choose to be here, but I'm glad you are.  

rock

Ah, Jane. I appreciate the kind words. I really needed them today because I have not been feeling terribly "together" or good for much lately...   Thank you.  I hope you have a great week!  (You were diagnosed on the day of my last chemo.  I'm going to treat that as a sign that you finding your own ways of coping with strength and grace!) xo rock

otter

ALERT ALERT ALERT...

This is not a drill.  I will be posting pics of weird and obscure pink BC "finds" tomorrow, after I recharge my camera batteries and drive back to Dick's Sporting Goods and KMart.  I even saw something at Lowe's today, but dang it I can't remember what it was.

otter