Cashing In on Breast Cancer: A Review of 'Pink Ribbons, Inc.'
Last month, walking down a busy city street, I saw a woman wearing a black shirt with shiny pink cursive on it.
I assumed it was a breast cancer awareness shirt, and indeed it was. But after making that assumption, my next thought was: Wait, it's not even October yet.
A new documentary called Pink Ribbons, Inc., from filmmaker Lfamp;copy;a Pool, explores how and why breast cancer awareness (also called "pink ribbon culture") became such big business, and whether heightened "awareness" is really making a difference in the lives of real women.
The film's central thesis is that years ago, corporations and philanthropists discovered that fear, carefully cultivated, inspires passion, and that passion can be directed to their own financial gain.
And so the launch of breast cancer awareness campaigns, and a month-long glut of products decorated with pink ribbons.Through interviews and research, Pink Ribbons, Inc., argues that American women have been told to take ownership of breast cancer, whether or not they have it or know someone who has, and this has created more a drive to purchase endless pink products than to find a cure.
"The most important risk factor for breast cancer is being a woman," points out Dr. Olufunmilayo Olopade in the movie. Then again, the most important factor involved in almost any successful marketing scheme is also a product's appeal to women, who buy about 80 percent of consumer products. And associating with a cause always increases sales: thus the pink ribbons on Yoplait yogurt, Avon products, and Fuze drinks every October and sponsorship of everything from skydiving to horseback jumping events to, of course, the annual Susan G. Komen Run for the Cure in Washington, D.C.
A Washington resident, I know this event attracts massive crowds, and as the footage shows, it brings a wide swath of emotional, empathetic women, even as many of them are dressed in pink wigs and t-shirts with pink hand prints over their breasts.
Carol Cone, a public relations expert from Edelman Purpose interviewed in the film, calls the gathering a "sisterhood" supplied partly by events, but more by companies through branding efforts that encourage sales and have even been used to rehabilitate the image of organizations such as the National Football League.
And so, Cone and others suggest, although women typically respond to breast cancer awareness campaigns with the best intentions, wanting to do something to contribute and looking for something to fight against, the campaign feeds itself more than research.
The Seminary Gender Gap
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Jhons
Thanks for sharing such an nice and useful information with us. I like the way you express everything here and best of luck for your next post.
marie
I am interested in seeing this documentary. For so long I have thought this and have even thought this about the Relay for Life campaign tht raises so much money. I wonder how much of it goes toward research. Feeding off of fear or emotions is a great way for many people to get rich.
Marlana
Alicia, sorry I addressed the above to Jill, a friend who posted the article via facebook. I didn't even pay attention to the author, thinking that she wrote it.
Marlana
Jill, so glad more people are starting to see through this whole "pink campaign". I read a wonderful article a while back about the actual facts and numbers as to where all the money actually goes. I will see if I can find it and send you a link. Cancer is a serious think and most if not all of us have been touched in some way or another. One of the best things, in my opinion, that can be done is to work at prevention. There are so many things in our food, water, makeup, etc that most people don't realize can lead to many types of cancer yet the Gov. wants us to think they are safe and use more, more, more. Anyhow, better get off my soapbox...thanks again for posting on this 'hot' topic:)
Debbie
When the pink ribbon thing first started, I was, like others, willing to do my part by purchasing something with a ribbon. Now, I have become more suspicious by something that should have stopped a long time ago. It, to me, has worn out it's welcome. Get back to finding a cure. Breast cancer took my mother. No pink ribbon will ever change that.
Suzie M
Thanks for pointing out the underlying hypocrisy in the film: criticizing breast cancer groups for awareness-raising while that's all the film does. I agree that just "awareness" can be a waste, but it's helpful and necessary in conjunction with hands-on "doing." (If nobody knows about the problem, how will they be motivated to work towards a solution?) Given that Komen has spent a couple billion on research, the film looks like it's exaggerating the problem.
Rahab
While being smart about how we spend our donation dollars is a very good idea, does referencing the way that God looks on our hearts, rather than our outward appearance, really apply here? Is it, in fact, a "Christian principle"? The responsibility to be clear in the way we use words surely trumps the peculiarly Evangelical requirement to find some Scriptural phrase to tack onto any discussion. At any rate, the irritation of having the color pink ruined by association with a dubious fund raising endeavor is hardly the point. More women than ever before in history are surviving their breast cancer diagnosis, but with life-long treatment side effects that are debilitating and daily sap their joy and strength. Problems like Post Mastectomy Pain Syndrome (PMPS), which doesn't respond to either drugs or therapy, and leaves women in constant, debilitating pain. Or lymphedema of the arm, breast or chest, which casts them in the role of pariah and makes it hard for many to even venture from their homes because of the humiliation of their deformity. And as Kelly points out, the physical suffering of women is hardly limited to breast cancer. What to do about all this suffering among the ranks of the female population? If pink October is not an answer, then what response should we as God's people--God's women--be making to the needs targeted by this pink-ribbon "awareness" campaign? What would love look like if it were applied to this situation?
Meadow Rue Merrill
I don't like it when any campaign hijacks a color. I want woment everywhere to be healthy, but I also want pink to simply be pink not a promotion or a fundraiser.
Amy Nemecek
Glad to know it's not just me. Since being diagnosed with breast cancer 8 years ago, my wardrobe has taken on a distinctly pink hue. But as a survivor, it does bother me that breast cancer awareness has become so flippant and commercialized. To the point that, when I'm in the store and see someone wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with a pink ribbon and the words "I love boobs!" or "Save the ta-tas" or some other common, base slogan, I feel offended, not uplifted.
Chany Ockert
As a young adult cancer survivor, I appreciate you addressing this. I would rather see people donate directly to research, than to an event that has tremendous overhead costs.
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