'Breasts' or 'Boobies'? Does language matter?

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  • Blinx
    Blinx Member Posts: 280
    edited May 2011

    You know, I was thinking about this over the weekend. I don't think Lance Armstrongs anti-cancer campaign would get the recognition that it does if everyone went around wearing "I heart my nuts" bracelets! No, he is encouraging others to think about the whole person, to "Live Strong". That's what we need -- something as powerful as the Live Strong campaign!

  • Anjanita
    Anjanita Member Posts: 252
    edited May 2011

    Imcd1021, you gave me my first laugh of the day.  I'm sixty-three and thinking our generation should be uptight about the word boobies?  Didn't we invent the concept?

    Aw, maybe not.

    There are days I wish I hadn't said, "Let it all hang out" so often. Tongue out

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited May 2011

    I'm 53 TODAY!

    Boobs is better than tits or titties, that's for sure! Titties makes me think of dirty old men wanking off into a kleenex while they empty their bowels as they flip through an old Playboy. Sheesh!

    GROW UP!!

    Thought I better come back and edit this post:

    I'm talking to the men when I say grow up. We, as women, just have or have not, to tolerate them!

    Kitties for titties? (for the SPCA)

    Mitties for titties? (for poor kids in winter)

    Clitties for titties? (to stop genital mutilation on women in 3rd world countries)

    Ditties for titties? (for poor, starving songwriters)

    Witties for titties? (for poor, starving comics)

    Nitties for titties? (for head lice in school age children)

    I mean, come on, let's get real.

  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited May 2011

    Barbe, happy birthday!

    And I'm really glad that I wasn't eating or drinking anything when I read your description of what the word "titties" make you think of.  You do have a way with words! Wink 

    To some of the other comments, I don't think the issue here is that those of us who've been objecting are uptight about the word "boobies".  The issue is one of appropriate use of a slang word, and in this case, a word that sometimes has sexual connotations.  There are times and places where the word "boobies" is probably quite appropriate (a strip bar, a male dorm, etc.) however some of us believe that when referring to life-threatening disease like breast cancer, the word "boobie" is inappropriate.

    Blinx, you make an interesting point.  LiveStrong is so unspecific. What does it have to do with cancer and particularly, testicular cancer?  I think Lance Armstrong should change the name to the "Treasure Your Testes Foundation" (in keeping with Keep A Breast) and instead of having yellow LiveStrong bracelets, they should have yellow "I'm Crazy for Cajones" bracelets.  I'm sure that his organization will get much more support that way - especially from hormonal teenagers. After all, teenagers are the prime target of cancer fund-raising activities, right? And I'm sure that mothers of teenage daughters everywhere will be delighted when their daughters wear the bracelets. Yup, that'll work.    

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited May 2011

    Beesie, thanks for the birthday wishes but don't beat around the bush! Wink

    I LOVE COCKS

    would be a much more appropriate bracelet!!! heheheheheehehe

  • FireKracker
    FireKracker Member Posts: 8,046
    edited May 2011
    just wanted to put in my 2 cents....I believe they have the cure for breast cancer....many many people i know including drs.,techs,and onc.altho wont admit it know there is a cure/vacine (whatever)0....the Pharm.co.are stopping it....ITS ALL ABOUT THE $$$$$$$$.
  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited May 2011

    Sorry, grannydukes, but I believe that's total bulls#!t !!  (thought I should use "bold" type too).

    Breast cancer is not one disease - it's lots of different diseases (IDC, ILC, IBC, Papillary, Tubular, ER+/PR+, ER-/PR-, HER2+, HER2-, etc.) and for this reason, it's unlikely that there ever can be a single "cure" for breast cancer.  

    And if there ever is a cure, the money that would be made from it - and the money that would be saved by governments and insurance companies in not having to so extensively treat every BC patient - would certainly make it financially worthwhile.  Maybe it wouldn't be overly compelling for the U.S. government (although it would be a big deal to the insurance companies) but certainly every other country that has government funded universal healthcare would do anything to have a cure rather than have to pay for on-going treatments.  Some of you in the U.S. may feel that Big Pharma pulls all the strings but it's a big world out there and Big Pharma doesn't call the shots everywhere else.  And lots of research is being done in other countries.      

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited May 2011

    Oh granny, you disappoint me!! Were you wearing your tin hat when you wrote that? Are you off your meds?? You are normally such a level-headed poster that your post surprised me!

    Say it takes $250,000 to treat one cancer patient with surgery, tests and treatment. Don't you think they'd like to free up those machines and techs for another disease if they could treat breast cancer with a $300,000 one-shot injection or something? It's just a trading of where the money goes...once the focus is off breast it will move to lung or some other cancer. Believe us. The facilities involved to treat a breast cancer patient could be better-used!

  • FireKracker
    FireKracker Member Posts: 8,046
    edited May 2011
    yes i was a little crazed yesterday...please excuse me...today is a full moon...im not much better.
  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited May 2011

    You are excused sweetie, but take the tin hat off and you'll feel much better and the pull of the moon will lessen.

  • hopefulhealing
    hopefulhealing Member Posts: 722
    edited May 2011

    barbe you are hilarious! We need to demand the respect that we as women deserve. We need to stop letting people minimize this disease. Maybe if we all stopped people when they do that they would see if for the serious disease and life altering journey that having this disease is.

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited May 2011

    The kids would probably look at you like you were an alien if you mentioned cancer when they were wearing an "I love boobies" bracelet. They just want to say they love boobs! It's got nothing to do with cancer....

    And WHEN did it start being I "heart" something. AND you SAY "I HEART xxxxxxx"???? What happened to I LOVE New York???

  • Jamie30
    Jamie30 Member Posts: 117
    edited June 2011

    It may be me but I dont really care what most of the ads say.  I live it everyday.  My kids have tshirts that say things like real men wear pink, fight for a cure, and I never knew a hero until I met my mom.  My best friend has one that says Im here for the boobs and my hubby has one that says I wear pink for my wife.  These shirts have really helped my kids.  They are concerned and like to support me.  We do try to add a little less serious note when we speak to the kids even though we keep everything honest.  My nephew wears one that says save second base.  I am pretty close to him and he took it really hard when he found out so I bought the shirt for him.  I also have save the tatas on my car.  For me humor helps me get through things.  I laugh at totally inappropriate times because if I dont laugh I will cry.  I would not let my kids say tits or titties but boobs and tatas dont bother me.  I have much more stuff to worry about.

  • Ricki13
    Ricki13 Member Posts: 80
    edited October 2011

    Barbe...you're awesome.  Much love. 

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited October 2011

    Thanks, but I heard an ad for a charity function called Glitz for Tits. I sighed and got off my soapbox......sigh.

  • Ricki13
    Ricki13 Member Posts: 80
    edited November 2011

    Oh dear. Thats so gross!!!!

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