Do you care about breast cancer or the sufferers of cancer more than you did before you read the title of this post??
No, I’m not being silly.
This is what I’m constantly seeing on Facebook… in my head, I thought I’m surrounded by people who are extremely well off because they’re spending months and months in all these exotic places.
No… Nothing like that.
Apparently, it’s to raise awareness about breast cancer.
“Okay ladies, it’s that time of year again…support of Breast Cancer Awareness!! So we all remember last year’s game writing your bra color as your status? Or the way we like to have our handbag handy? Last year, so many people took part that it made national news and the constant updating of status reminded everyone why we’re doing this and helped raise awareness!! Do NOT tell any males what the statuses mean…keep them guessing!! And please copy and paste (in a message) this to all your female friends!
The idea is to choose the month you were born and the day you were born. Pass this on to the GIRLS ONLY and lets see how far it reaches around. … The last one about the bra went around all over the world.Your status should say:
“I am going to Dominican Republic for 5 months.”Use your birth month for the place you’ll live.
January–Mexico
February– London
March–Miami
April–Dominican Republic
May–France
June– St Petersburg
July–Austria
August–Germany
September–New York
October–Amsterdam
November– Las Vegas
December– Columbia”
I don’t understand how there can be a Facebook ‘trend’ that’s supposed to “raise awareness”, but at the same time aims to keep certain people in the dark. How is that raising awareness? Yes, questions may be raised, but I doubt they’d be related to Breast Cancer.
I’ve seen men write comments like “So, where are you staying? Hotels or with friends?”
…by the by, what is this division between men and women where one gender has to be all knowing and superior over the other? Let’s get past this.
Let’s stop labelling all men as idiotic, blundering fools. Apparently, The Simpsons has got to everyone, and now every man is seen as Homer… it seems.
Yes, some Homers may exist… but it doesn’t mean all men are stupid. Stop it.
The thing that frustrates me most is I don’t understand how these status updates actually raise awareness. To me, it feels like another case of people sitting on their sofas, writing a few words just so that they can feel good about themselves, because they have ‘done’ something. What have these people actually done? Tittered amongst themselves in private messages about how other people don’t get their updates, confused a great deal of people, and made something that is a real emotional issue to people into a joke… What does that do for breast cancer sufferers/charities/awareness? Nada.
If there is a need to raise awareness about breast cancer, and considering all these stupid memes, of course there is, then why not post a status that informs people whether it is Breast Cancer Awareness month, or about fundraising ideas to support cancer charities, or even just detailing some simple facts about breast cancer?
If you *really* want to raise awareness, get rid of the ‘don’t tell men’ rule.
…Do these people not understand that men are still affected if their mother/sister/wife/daughter/auntie/girlfriend/grandma etc have breast cancer?! Do men not care?!
Oh, and let’s not forget: men can also become sufferers of breast cancer. Yes, people. Men can get it! You joke about moobs all you like, and then disbelieve that men too suffer from the disease.
It’s all kind of insensitive, don’tcha think?
Does anyone remember the meme that went around in September, last year? I’m 5 weeks and I’m craving sewage water! Can you begin to imagine how women who are dealing with infertility or have lost a child would feel when reading through their Facebook feeds? Even though this was to promote breast cancer awareness, I doubt those who have fought breast cancer would want to join in, considering some cancer treatments affect fertility.
This just shows that these memes aren’t thought out carefully, and the aim was to create internet memes as opposed to promote awareness.
…and anyways, how does this kind of ‘activism’ get media coverage?!
Yes, I agree, activism should be fun… but it should also serve its purpose, right?
I read somewhere on the internetz about the Guerilla Girls. They dress up as Gorillas.
Why? To raise awareness of the lack of female artists in major art galleries around the world. They don’t conceal themselves from 50% of the population. They don’t do things that aren’t linked to their cause.
(Like c’mon, the bra thing was the closest thing to breast cancer.. Only because the brain thinks.. Bra -> Boob.)
Want to raise awareness about issues around breast cancer? Why not talk about these things?
- Women, in America, who have battled breast cancer are denied health care coverage for having “pre-existing” conditions.
- Anti-abortion protesters successfully spread lies that abortion causes breast cancer, despite the fact that this myth has been disproved by the Journal of the American Medical Association as recently as 2004.
- Not enough is being done to prevent breast cancer. Screening is not a means of prevention.
- A company holds a patent on the deadly breast cancer gene mutation (BRCA), which means that it controls who can test and study BRCA and who cannot. Furthermore, the cost of the test for the BRCA gene mutation is $3,000!
See, if there was more coverage about these things, instead of Facebook statuses/statii, then maybe we’d make a step towards the right direction… and actually help people!
As awful as I think these facebook memes are, the creators are definitely on to something: Women can promote change. Think about India’s Ladies in Pink Saris. The Suffragettes. Marie Curie. Rosa Parks!
Women are powerful.
…but posting silly Facebook updates are just that. Silly.
Love this! I’m definitely sharing this one on Facebook :).