October's Daily Encounters with "pink stuff"

Boy and I glad I came across this thread. I thought I was the only one sick of pink. I was just diagnosed on 12/1 but seeing all this pink is a constant reminder of what I've been dealt. And, like I need any more reminder, our town just handed out new recycling bins. They are black with big pink lids and a big pink ribbon on them. I don't think anything gets donated to Komen -- they are just a big reminder. Thank Mayor Mayer (yes, that's really his name), but I don't need a reminder every time I walk out my door or drive through my town. Grrrrr....

I think what I hate most about the pinkwashing is that so many women seem to have started thinking that every single thing that happens in their breasts is indicative of cancer. Clearly, BC is an important thing and awareness is good, but not every breast ailment is cancer! I think pinkwashing has pushed some folks from awareness into neurosis. 

I was diagnosed on September 15th of this year, and invited by a friend (a 5 year survivor) to attend the Komen Race For The Cure with her. She said it would be inspiring to see all the women who had gone through what I was about to be experiencing.

While the Survivor Ceremony was very poignant, and some of the speakers were very inspiring, it did feel quite weird to run the gauntlet of hundreds of vendors handing out all manner of tchotchkes. Of course, most of them were NOT made in the U.S. (a personal peeve). 

I really started to feel strange being made to feel like Queen For A Day just because I was wearing a Survivor T-Shirt, even though I hadn't had my surgery yet. I did meet some awesome women, and that made it worthwhile.

As the weeks wore on, I was showered with love and support from dear friends, and many of them bought me "Pink Ribbon" gifts to show their support for me. By then I had started reading this thread.....and still, all I could think of was that these were the friends who really loved me and cared for me.

As for next year, though, DANG! Some of this marketing is just downright offensive, and I'm already thinking how I as a breast cancer survivor can educate my friends and family as to just where the focus needs to be, and how to be an educated consumer in this tsunami of pink.

Oh and I have two pictures on my camera (can't figure out how to get them onto my computer) of pink stuff I saw last week - a gift bag/Christmas wrap set with pink ribbons and a Susan G. Komen pink bicycle, both at Walmart. I will try to get the pictures up.

We're way past the Komen Foundation's annual barrage of Pinkitude, but I wanted to revive this thread for anyone who still needs a reason to disparage Komen:

Why Komen defunded Planned Parenthood

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/susan-g-komen-foundation-defunds-planned-parenthood/2012/01/31/gIQAACW0fQ_blog.html 

(Gary Stelzer - Associated Press) The Associated Press reports that Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the nation's leading breast-cancer charity, will cut off its funding to Planned Parenthood affiliates, where the foundation has traditionally paid for preventive screening services.

According to the AP, the move will mean "a cutoff of hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants, mainly for breast exams."Planned Parenthood confirms that Komen is the first, and only, organization to cut off funding since the Congress began debating the issue in earnest last winter.

Komen said it could not continue to fund Planned Parenthood because it has adopted new guidelines that bar it from funding organizations under congressional investigation. The House oversight and investigations subcommittee announced in the fall an investigation into Planned Parenthood's funding.

Planned Parenthood has been at the center of a lot of heated political battles lately. Most center on whether the group, as an abortion provider, should receive government funds for other services it provides, such as offering contraceptives and preventive screenings.

The entire article is at http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/susan-g-komen-foundation-defunds-planned-parenthood/2012/01/31/gIQAACW0fQ_blog.html