Does Sharing Your Bra Color Pass as Promoting Breast Cancer Awareness?

by Roxann MtJoy · 2010-01-10 10:34:00 UTC
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A few days ago, I noticed that many of my female friends were posting colors as their Facebook status. Intrigued, I dug a little deeper and learned that they were sharing the color of the bras they were wearing. Why? Apparently this was some grassroots attempt at promoting breast cancer awareness.

It all started when a Facebook message saying "just write the color of your bra in your status. Just the color, nothing else. And send this on to ONLY girls no men …" was circulated. Why? Because "It will be neat to see if this will spread the wings of cancer awareness. It will be fun to see how long it takes before the men will wonder why all the girls have a color in their status… Haha."

I have two immediate reactions to this. First, how on Earth does sharing your bra color promote breast cancer awareness? I can't begin to imagine that there is a person out there who gained enlightenment by learning that their former college classmate is wearing a pink polka dot underwire underneath her sweater. No one even mentions breast cancer in their posts or links to an informational website, so explain to me how this can possibly lead to more awareness. Also, how can a movement that expressly excludes half the population claim its goal is awareness?

Secondly, to be blunt, I think this offensive. The whole thing seems so ridiculous that it might just be a ploy to get girls to expose slightly racy information about themselves on the internet. If this isn't a hoax, then I think it is sad that the person who started it thinks the best way to raise awareness for breast cancer is to sexualize the issue. Having women essentially flash their bras online to tease men doesn't promote breast cancer awareness; It promotes sexism.

Obviously I have no problem with breast cancer awareness. (Though, considering this is National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, I'd argue that it could take a rest for moment. Really, who isn't aware of breast cancer at this point?) My problem is with this half-baked, unnecessarily sexualized internet meme that women, in my opinion, were all too quick to embrace. It does nothing to promote the cause it claims to support and makes makes everyone look a bit foolish.

Photo: Mangiu

Roxann MtJoy is a freelance writer who previously worked as a case manager at a domestic violence shelter. She is currently attending graduate school for theater in Mount Vernon, N.Y.
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