It's Herrreeee............
Like it or not it's October and the Pink washing begins. I so have mixed feelings about it all. Of course the one part of me thinks if any of it brings more awareness and money to the cause then it's a great thing. But then I get pissed when I start seeing it literally EVERYWHERE, even on food product items, you name it----and I wonder truly how much of this products revenue is going to BC or is it just another marketing ploy to sell more stuff.
And lastly for me at least, is it just brings up the old wounds I keep trying to push down and forget about. I know I can never truly forget about it (physically impossible now) but every magazine I pick up has articles in it. Again, more exposure is a good thing, but why does it sting so much?
I WANT a cure for this F ing disease and if this is a means to that end so be it. I know I should just suck it up and be thankful I'm still here. Who knows? Perhaps some of the BC campaigns in the years leading up to my dx may have helped save me? So I should be grateful, which I really am.
Anyone else have thoughts on how they plug through October?
Love you guys!
Sharon
Comments
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Sharon, I'm with you and I can't stand the whole breast cancer month thing, so I try as hard as I can to totally tune it out. I don't do "breast cancer survivor" stuff; I don't talk about breast cancer to others so I'm essentially just acting like it doesn't apply to me. I couldn't do that the first year of course, but every year has gotten easier.
Except for the doctor's appointments, I try not to think about breast cancer at all. I read the articles, but the ones in general-interest magazines/newspapers are so overly simplified, usually the information is useless or worse. The informative ones I just mentally file away in case I have to think about breast cancer again some day. I come here just to look in on people and see if I can help anyone.
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Good points and well put. Pink ribbons bother me - over glamourizing bc which leads to a general lack of public understanding how serious bc STILL is. Not enough funding or education for metastatic disease - billions should be poured into a cure. So much is spent on sports in USA - it would be good if some of that money could be funneled into all different types of cures for cancer.
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Lol techtonic.
It doesnt bother me as long as I dont have to talk or do anything. I get tired of people showing me their breast cancer stuff. -
Yep, I can relate Sharon. I have mixed feelings about it too. Just last week I thought, well here it comes and then the girls at work want to do a BC run and asked if I want to go. They were all excited talking about all the pink stuff we can buy and dress up, blah, blah blah. I want to go and I don't, for them it doesn't mean the same as it does for us. They think they are helping while having fun in the process, I will be there thinking of all the fear that it brought and all it took. I just can't celebrate it but that's just me. Having a colonoscopy the day before...maybe that will be my excuse
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My birthday is in October and the birthstone is Pink...I think of the month that way and ignore the rest.
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The pinkwashing bothered me B.C.E. (Before the Cancer Era). I know there are many of us who saw through it then. It bugs me more now.
Maybe that is in part because the pink, over the years, is pervasive - we're saturated in it. It's lost any purposeful (to us) effectiveness. I've seen displays out as soon as late August - what, like this is a HOLIDAY or something and we're supposed to shop early? Creepy.
This morning I saw a display of that Five-Hour Energy drink, with the ribbon. Several weeks ago, my grocery store put out a display of hats, T-shirts, sweat pants and sweatshirts with the ribbon.
I swear, if I ever see bags of all-pink M&Ms I may never buy them again. -
Seems too much like a slick marketing ploy to me, too.
I still wonder how much, if any, of this money actually goes to Breast Cancer organizations, an opposed to the companies we are buying the stuff from.
However, when we were planning my daughter's wedding a few years ago, she chose her favorite colors -- dark pink & light pink -- as her wedding colors. One of the things we did for the reception was a "candy buffet" (very popular), with pink or white candies. I bought an awful lot of those bags of pink M&Ms!!!!!
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It bugs me the same way it bugs many of you. I can't bring myself to participate, and for sure I won't be wearing a "survivor" T any time soon. I think of the cancer as being in remission, not as being cured.
What I find most annoying about the pink pep rallies is that it glosses over the fact that there is no flippin' cure for this stupid disease. Sometimes you can scare it badly enough to stay away long enough to allow you to die of something else, and that is great obviously. But it is still not a cure.
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I was diagnosed just this past summer so this is my first time on the "other side" of the pink campaign.
I have a few reservations about the whole pink campaign these days. Mostly because it is too vague and misleads the general public (of which I was a member of last October).
But, I don't want to be negative about "think pink" either. It makes people more aware of breast cancer which can only be a good thing for all of us, no matter what stage we have or where we are in treatment.
I do agree that it does sting a little when you go into a business and the pink ribbons are everywhere or you buy something with the pink ribbon on the label. It is a reminder of what is happening to me when really, all I want to do is buy some food, just like any other person!
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This film is a big eye opener on Pink Month.
http://www.nfb.ca/film/pink_ribbons_inc/trailer/pink_ribbons_inc_trailer
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Great points girls, and a bonus for you Tetonic for Elephant Awareness Month. I love it! Sometimes THAT"S what I need to do, just find something humorous to hang my hat on. And Jenny, YES use the colonoscopy as an excuse if it's too much for you. I just had my 3 year one (yea, he said I don't need another one for 5 years")) and I really did feel pretty crummy next morning.
Keep em comin sistahs!
Sharon
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Here's the deal for me.
I very much appreciate PEOPLE'S efforts to encourage, uphold, and strengthen me. When I was in active treatment I was deeply grateful for the meals brought over, the hats knitted, the breaks my boss cut me at work, and the genuine caring I experienced.
I very much despise the marketing opportunity to sell pink spatulas, pink hedge trimmers, pink handguns, pink toenails clippers, etc. We're aware already.
I very much despise the infantilization and sexualization of breast cancer, in the "save the (pick one) boobies, ta-ta's, second base." You can have second base. Just save my life.
I very much despise the "let's throw breast cancer a party" events, with the wild pink wigs, pink tutus, pink striped stockings, women wearing bedazzled brassieres outside their tee-shirts, women wearing "I (heart) Boobies" tee-shirts. When we see men campaigning against testicular cancer by wearing bedazzled jockstraps outside their jeans, then I'll be OK with the party crap.
But I'm busy and don't need the negativity in my life, so I'm not going to make PINK the hill I want to die on. My prayer is that I'm walking away with breast cancer in my rear-view mirror.
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Sbelizabeth you were able to put into words exactly how I feel. Well said and I couldn't agree more! Katie
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To Sbelizabeth
I agree with everything you said especially regarding the sexualization and infantizilation of an incredibly unsexy, miserable and mutilating disease. I have no idea why breast cancer should evoke a party like atmosphere. Even writing these words I can' believe all I had to go through. I like the analogy of observing breast cancer through my rear view mirror hoepefully getting further and further away.
Elizabeth -
Giant Pink ribbon Port-a-potty
Don't even know what to think of this... -
i hate pinktober, its insulting to women with BC, its frothy, it nicefies breast cancer and makes people think there is plenty of funding for BC, when the reality is its brutal, a huge shock, disfiguring. And treatment and surgery is degrading and demeaning.......WHY isnt this shown? Why arent we challenging this!? -
I saw a commercial last night during which a toilet paper company said that it was helping "raise awareness" with a fashion show featuring ... you guessed it ... TOILET PAPER GOWNS.
I could only shake my head. -
I've seen it all now...pink port-a-johns! Seriously, this has gotten way out of hand, what do they do donate $1 for every entry. I agree, it makes BC look easy and "no big deal", how is it that something so terrible can be a party or celebrated. No other cancer gets the attention/marketing that BC does, why. Very well said sbelizabeth, maybe we all should start an anti-pink campaign where we show what BC is really like. -
My breast cancer rodeo has been followed by the newspaper from the beginning, starting with the initial biopsy 2 years ago. For the October 1 article this year, I was immensely proud of the paper for publishing a graphic, unblinking photo of my DIEP reconstruction, with the enormous incisions into my abdomen and a surgical "hole" where my new breast would be attached.
The editor wanted a real depiction of what breast cancer is all about. -
I freaked out at Ralphs today...........Saw a big BC Cake in the bakery!!!!!!!!!!
WTH are we celebrating here!!!!!!!!!! -
Faithfulheart, I wonder what a colon cancer cake would look like.
Probably chocolate. -
the month doesn't bother me....I ignore all the pink bullsh** that has nothing to do with bc...who needs a pink vacuum or food processor or kitchenaid!!!! but I don't mind some pink....I have a pink sweater that I think is very pretty....
But what I do enjoy is doing health fairs and spreading the word about breast health etc.....IT drives me nuts when they talk about prevention...there is no such thing...the only way to prevent breast cancer is to not have breasts....what is important is early detection...and to get people to realize that you don't have to have a family history to be at risk for breast cancer...heck, I'm my family history!!!
We need to find a cure...we need to focus on all breast cancers...we need to find a way to know how to prevent the beast from coming back...to know how to do more individualized treatments.....I'm not sure the best way to do this, but I agree its not by buying some $500 piece of equipment and the company donating $5 to breast cancer research....I give directly to the cause...I have some favorite breast cancer charities that I give my money too....
so the long and short of it, I ignore all the bull and pay attention to what doesn't annoy me......weird....yeah I guess I am..... -
Perhaps they could hang one of those toilet paper dresses in each of the pink porta-potties. Just rip off as much as you need. I might find some satisfaction in wiping my behind with one of those - lol -
Barsco...LOL...thanks for the guffaw. -
Here's what I posted on my fb page.Pinktober through a survivor's eyes
Disclaimer-Yes, I am happy that breast cancer is funded through the actions of others. Some companies give a lot, others don’t give as much as you would think. I am grateful to still be counted as a survivor. I am grateful that there are runs and walks in order to raise awareness. I am thankful for all my family and friends who were supportive and there for me during TYOC (The Year of Cancer). I do, however, feel the need to post this note.
Pinktober…through the eyes of a breast cancer survivor
Well, it’s here. The month of October. I used to love October before I became the “one” in the 1 in 8. Really, if you live in NJ it’s closer to 1 in 7. Now, some of you may be puzzled by my lack of enthusiasm for an entire month dedicated to pink products. This includes products like pink ribbons, pink pins, pink clothing, pink kitchenware, pink appliances, pink tic-tacs and, yes, even pink buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken. It’s time for me to let you in on a little secret. Many breast cancer survivors HATE this month and here are some reasons why:
1.Pink is a color that seems soft and cuddly. I’m not sure how pink ended up being the “color of breast cancer” but I can tell you for certain that breast cancer is definitely not soft and cuddly. I’m not sure what the opposite of “soft and cuddly” is but whatever it is, that’s the color of breast cancer.
2.Many survivors try to forget about breast cancer as much as we can. We can’t think about it all the time-it just doesn’t work for us. Trust me, I tried that. Being in a heightened state of fear is, well, it sucks. So, when it’s Pinktober and we go into a store, any store, just to pick something up, it brings us back to that scary place. Some survivors say that when they see the massive pink displays they relive the moment of diagnosis. That’s a lot of emotion to process when you just wanted a $4.99 rotisserie chicken.
3.When we express the fact that we hate Pinktober people will oftentimes look at us like there is something wrong with us. Let’s put it this way…If you were in a horrible fire and narrowly escaped, or got out but with burns to part of your body, would you really want someone to be waving a lit candle around you several times a day for an entire month?
4.There is so much pink crap sold by companies who actually give very small amounts to research. I hesitate to type this because of course we want breast cancer research funded. If you really want to help with that, donate money rather than buying a pink (insert name of product). Alternatively, read the fine print to see how much money is actually going to research breast cancer. Some companies donate a good portion of their profits to research and others, well, not so much.
5.This is the month where I get phone calls asking me if I want to “give to breast cancer awareness”. Really? I have to give money in order to be aware? It’s not like I can avoid being aware of breast cancer at least twice a day…every day….every single day. Additionally, I think giving an actual breast (which aside from the cancer was pretty ok), along with my hair (also pretty ok most days) for about a year sort of pays the tab for me.
6.This is also the month when people like to send survivors articles about what causes breast cancer. That fake Johns Hopkins one comes to mind. Please don’t send us that. It is not true and takes a blame the victim stance.
7.The slogans “Save Second Base”, “Save the Ta-Ta’s” “Save the Hooters” and “Big or Small, Save them All” completely miss the mark for many of us. It is NOT about saving body parts. It’s about saving lives. -
I have been getting posts about no bra day. I sent them a nasty gram.
http://nationalnobraday.webs.com/
have at it girls. -
Likewise, I too want to have a cure for this darned disease, and I do appreciate the attention Breast Cancer gets, and yet I hate this month of Pinktober and all the emphasis on "Pink" as if its a cute pink girly girl disease that should be surrounded with pink everything. Seems very sexist to me. They don't do this for the other cancers. I would like to see this type of enthusiasm for Pancreatic Cancer which is an evil deadly disease. -
Yes, I too have seen the Oct. 14th No Bra Day for breast cancer awareness. I begged people not to do that (for more reasons than one). Many people should never, ever go braless! I have children for goodness sake, they shouldn't have be scared
Carol, loved your post so much that I copied and pasted to my FB page (credited you and plugged the book). The response has been great. I had one friend even say that I gave her permission for not feeling guilty from not wearing pink in October. Like it made her less of a supporter if she didn't wear pink. -
kar1- Thanks so much!!!! That's how I feel too-like I should feel guilty for not wearing pink.
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