My mother is a Breast Cancer survivor. My sister recently had a scare. I have more than one friend who has lost a breast, or two, or had a lumpectomy. I know women who have lost parents, or sisters to Breast Cancer. I do not take Breast Cancer lightly. I do not think it is sexy, or fun. I do not appreciate bracelets that say “I love boobies.” I think they trivialize a serious, often fatal disease. I think campaigns that try to make breast cancer sexy or fun allow people to glamorize cancer and minimize its gravity.
Which is why I find this breast cancer campaign so offensive.
Seriously? Breast cancer makes you think of gorgeous, full lipped women caressing one another’s naked breasts?
Does prostate cancer make ad-people think of hunky naked men grabbing each other’s crotches?
I thought not.
Am I the only one who finds this approach to “raising awareness” inappropriate at best and offensive overall?
What are they really trying to raise?
I don’t even want to think about it.
Women with breast cancer aren’t busy thinking about how much they’d like to put on pink lipstick and participate in a soft-core porn orgy. They are thinking about saving their lives, staying alive for the people they love – husbands, children, families, friends. They are wondering if they are going to lose a body part — lose their hair, miss the rest of their life.
People looking to raise awareness about the disease might want to let up on the sexy, breast cancer stuff, and take their cues from them.
I completely agree. I have no personal connection to any kind of cancer thank goodness (hold on a minute while I knock on every piece of wood in the house), but I bristle at those types of ads too.
It can be done well. That ad up there reminded me of another one with three naked women: our fellow blogger Audrey, her sister, and her mom. Not salacious, touching. Real women, real boobs. Gets the point across. It can be done. http://momgenerations.com/2010/10/estee-lauder-breast-cancer-awareness-campaign-kicks-off/
This is smart and well said. I think many women (and I don’t mean to speak for cancer survivors) are offended by how “trivialized” these ads (and Facebook games, etc.) make cancer seem. Disease isn’t sexy. Let’s work on the cure not the cute.
Reminds me of the HIV drug ads that show sexy, hot hunky guys and completely ignore the facial wasting, GI side effects, etc.
Not to say I’m glad they make those ads. But at least I’m glad that it’s not only women’s diseases that are treated so flippantly.
Seriously! It gives no credit to the real faces of breast cancer survivors or the brave women fighting this horrible disease.
I agree. All marketers see is that “sex sells”, so they try to use it in everything. There is nothing sexy about cancer of any form. Just because the word “breast” is in there, does not make it sexy.
What publication is this from? Date?
Wish I could remember…probably the day I posted it…in a fashion mag. Sorry!