Facebook BC awareness campaign

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romyles
romyles Member Posts: 36
edited June 2014 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)

Am I being overly sensitive or is all this "make-up free picture" stuff insane?  It doesn't draw attention to BC it draws personal attention to the poster.  I've not received the "challenge" yet but I'm not sure i can be nice if I do. I think I will respond :  I received the challenge last February when my mammo was bad and lived the challenge thru biopsy, multiple painful procedures followed by BMX and a daily reminder that I am now different and constantly scared of more bad news.  Who comes up with this stuff???  I know FB is a bad place anyway and am not the posting kind but its taking some strength to not start a fire by informing all these women that there is nothing about make-up free photos that remotely compares to what we have faced!!!

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  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 1,469
    edited March 2014

    I am a Facebooker but honestly I don't quite get it.  With that being said, I think the posters have good intentions, at least that's how I'm taking it.  I'm not participating however and never do on such "campaigns" personally

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  • romyles
    romyles Member Posts: 36
    edited March 2014

    That's why I may be feeling too sensitive.  So far of the friends on my FB that have posted they are the ones constantly making light of folks down on their luck, speak of using their boobs as tools and the list goes on.  It just hit me when I saw one with the comment "not sure how this relates to BC but here goes". It doesn't relate or seem to bring awareness to early detection or the trials faced by those with BC. 

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  • harrietv
    harrietv Member Posts: 4
    edited March 2014

    here in the UK the nomakeupselfies were accompanied by a donation via text of £3. It was just a fashion that caught on, not a campaign by cancer research, but cancer research made £8 million!!! £1 million in the first day. They're now funding 10 new studies. So I'm a convert! Make the most of people being a bit vain if it makes that kind of money :)

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  • harrietv
    harrietv Member Posts: 4
    edited March 2014

    here in the UK the nomakeupselfies were accompanied by a donation via text of £3. It was just a fashion that caught on, not a campaign by cancer research, but cancer research made £8 million!!! £1 million in the first day. They're now funding 10 new studies. So I'm a convert! Make the most of people being a bit vain if it makes that kind of money :)

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  • dltnhm
    dltnhm Member Posts: 873
    edited March 2014

    A "young" friend (across the continent, mother of 3 little ones, working mom, highly intelligent) posted her "no make-up selfie for breast cancer awareness"  Received a lot of kudos about her looks from her contemporaries. I asked her what the connection between the two was. Her response "LOL, I have no idea." 

    I sent her a private message indicating my displeasure.  Her response:

    "Oh I'm sorry. The laugh was meant for the comments about me without makeup... I would not ever make light of cancer. It's way to serious and way too many people are having to suffer because of it. I apologize about that!!!!" And "I deleted my comment. I don't want anyone to mistake what I was saying." 

    She did delete that particular comment but kept the thread going. I know her heart so know in this arena she just doesn't get it. And so ... we try to educate ... we try to educate others of what they truly should be aware of .... 

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  • romyles
    romyles Member Posts: 36
    edited March 2014

    yes that's my point. One of those going around you have to pick from a list and post it as your status if you comment on someone else's.  I just used my boobs to get out of a speeding ticket is one of them,  I know I'm being sensitive but it bothered me when I saw these people posting that. My Husband is a cop for one thing and now I'm not naturally blessed(Im a falsie all the way around) so that cut pretty deep....hello cops have wives that find that offensive but add to it cops with BC survivor wives or cops that are themselves BC survivors.  I know it's petty but I needed to express myself in a safe place :)

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  • CelineFlower
    CelineFlower Member Posts: 875
    edited March 2014

    cancer affects everyone... whether you are diagnosed.. know someone who is diagnosed... or live in fear of diagnosis...

    i agree its somewhat demeening/offensive... 

    some people express those emotions differently

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  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited March 2014

    You are not being super sensitive. And if we don't say anything, people will just carry on doing stupid or meaningless things in the name of breast cancer awareness. Even if it raises money is not an excuse for insensitive/off-color etc behavior. I always comment on such things and try to suggest that we are done with awareness, how about doing something for someone struggling with treatment - like grocery shopping, make a meal, clean house, look after kids one day, just visit to chat etc etc And it will only get worse when October rolls around.

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  • SelenaWolf
    SelenaWolf Member Posts: 1,724
    edited March 2014

    This is similar to the "campaign" a number of months ago on FB, which urged people to wear a "bald" hat to support breast cancer.  I sent them a scathing message.

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  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 8,458
    edited March 2014

    I don't think you're being too sensitive. I think the campaign is completely insensitive. I exclude the UK campaign that raised money for cancer research. That one was a bit silly but extremely effective.

    I'm very fortunate that I've never been "invited" to participate in any of these ridiculous FB campaigns. I hope that continues!

    Leah

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  • Jelson
    Jelson Member Posts: 1,535
    edited March 2014

    I totally agree that the nomakeup campaign makes light of breast cancer.  However, look at how someone has repurposed the nonsense and made good use of the campaign, if not for breast cancer, for a greater understanding of human psychology! 

    http://www.newstatesman.com/lifestyle/2014/03/reaction-no-make-selfies-reveals-how-most-us-really-feel-about-cosmetics

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  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 4,276
    edited March 2014

    I don't play any Facebook games. ANY games, including "Post this on your wall for.." or "Change your status to...."

    Depending on how innocuous it is, I may just leave it alone, as the Facebook friends who play along were with me through my whole BC experience, and I try to err on the side of kindness.

    But if I see something demeaning, or just downright stupid, I will try to look at it like a teachable moment, and perhaps gently suggest that these types of stunts are not helping those with cancer at all, and have more to do with the "Aren't I great and sensitive for participating in this?" type of attitude.

    Now, come October, I REALLY let go about Pinkwashing!!! Watch out!!! 

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  • romyles
    romyles Member Posts: 36
    edited March 2014

    I thought about posting something like what does no make up selfless tell the world about breast cancer?  Wouldn't it be more effective to challenge each person to find something about breast cancer and post it.  Like when are mammograms recommended, is that sufficient to save lives?  What are micro calcifications?  What are the multiple types of breast cancer?  Are there local support groups for those in your community?  These are some of the horrors I faced when I first heard the "your mammogram is highly suspicious and the microcalcifications have grown significantly and in a linear pattern".   1 in 5 was a shocker for me, most have no family history, the world kept turning while mine was at a complete hault....these are things that need awareness.  If money was being collected then I don't care what they do. I have seen a few dedicate the picture to a BC survivor or one that lost their battle...those are at least expressing something related to BC. 

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  • Lilyluv
    Lilyluv Member Posts: 160
    edited April 2014

    Hi all,  I've never seen the FB campaigns (and hope I don't!).  But some of the products out there,  for breast cancer awareness I find very offensive.  There's one with a picture of a guy from the 50's or something saying "I'm in it for the boobies".  WTH?   Then there's "Squeeze the Boobies for Breast Cancer Awareness"  Really?   How about "I'm a Breast Man" with pink ribbons on it?  Says something about our culture.  "Save the TaTas"  I really hate that one - do we really need baby talk when it comes to breast cancer!?   And the worst prize goes to "Pitties for Titties Walking for the Cure" with a pink sillouette of what looks a stripper with a pit bull on a leash.  The sexualizing of breast cancer I find absolutely revolting.   There's nothing sexy about it.  Arrgggghhhh!

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  • mimi32
    mimi32 Member Posts: 61
    edited April 2014

    Though I haven't had any friends participate in the makeup free challenge I saw it the other day and asked myself the same question. I think that when a person isn't directly affected by BC (or any disease/illness) they don't understand what these types of things mean to those who have/do. 

    My 11 year old son has Tourettes and I've had the unfortunate experience of reading jokes on FB about people with Tourette's. One was even posted by a life long friend which felt like a knife in the heart and I instantly private messaged and made my disappointment known. Her response was "I didn't even think about him, it didn't cross my mind" she then proceeded to say that she would remove it which she never did and our relationship has never been the same. 

    Unfortunately there are these kinds of things that exist for many illnesses and it's disheartening at the number of people that find humor in anything that causes challenges for so many. I have learned to not take things like this personally, I can't because then I give them power over my emotions. 

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