You heard it here first~I detest the month of October! Double standard……as I adore everything about the Fall season!
It wouldn’t be so bad if we only had to survive the Christmas decorations tempting us from every aisle. Nope, now we are being accosted with a sea of PINK! You might be shaking your heads wondering why I am not in favor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, as I am a current survivor of this potentially deadly disease? I am a huge proponent of awareness and early detection! Doing monthly exams is what saved my life! Let me repeat that just so no one forgets……..breast cancer awareness is extremely important. The more people who are aware and can take action, whether it be thru self examinations and mammograms, translates into a higher % of people kickin’ its butt all the way to the curb!
What I am not in favor, and find disgusting is the “Pinkwashing” of our Nation. I recently found this awesome site: Think Before You Pink, who defines it as……
Pinkwasher |pink’-wah-sher| noun: A company or organization that claims to care about breast cancer by promoting a pink ribbon product, but at the same time produces, manufactures and/or sells products that are linked to the disease.
Please, please visit their site, as I was shocked at some of the companies I read about. It truly will change how you look at the products that are manufactured for us, and that most of us use in our daily lives.
Pinktober is much broader than this definition though. It is a month (or more, as I have seen it start as early as August) that is a huge lobster pot of commercialism without anyone profiting other than the companies that slapped that pink ribbon on their product.
Aren’t we already a society of materialism? Do we really need pink 3 1/2 inch high heels that say Hope on the arch of the heel? Or an Xbox controller with pink ribbons all over it? How about that garbage receptacle? I know my neighbors would be drooling over that each week, wondering why they can’t make their trash look pretty also. Do not even get me started on the pink handgun I saw advertised!!!
Prior to my journey in 2009, I might have thought it was great that companies were willing to give a % of the sales to support breast cancer research. Now, all I feel is outrage and disgust that these companies are jumping on the ‘Pinktober’ craze! When you are walking up and down the aisles purchasing food for your family, look closely at the pink ribbon boxes you are putting into your cart! Does it specify the % of each sale that will be donated? Does it tell you what research company will be receiving the donation? Or, does it just say ‘A percentage of this sale will be donated to breast cancer research’? Do you really think they are giving that money away? If they do……..you may not even agree with some of the principles of that research company!!
Companies across the nation are profiting big time from Breast Cancer Awareness month. What about the sea of pink called the NFL? According to Sports Illustrated, only 8% of the pink NFL merchandise sold goes towards breast cancer research. After everyone takes their cut/portion, only 8% actually goes towards research!! That is alarming and appalling! Don’t you agree?
Please do not get me wrong…….if you were going to buy that product anyway…..continue to buy it! But if you only bought it because it has a pink ribbon on it….STOP! Ask yourself these 4 critical questions first:
- How much money, if any, goes to a breast cancer organization?
- What organization and programs will your money fund?
- Is there a maximum donation, and has it already been met?
- Does this product put you at an increased risk of breast cancer?
Wouldn’t you rather donate your money directly to the breast cancer organization of your choice? This way you have total control over where your money ends up, AND you can take 100% of it as a tax-deductible donation! I don’t think you can say that if you purchase that beautiful pink trash receptacle!
Thank you for allowing me to do my own little public service announcement. I know that you are not used to much coming from my site other than fluff and feel good items, but sometimes my blood boils and I need to lash out.
My favorite cancer organization to donate to is the American Cancer Society as it benefits ALL cancer types!
What is your favorite organization to donate to?
Shaunna
Breast Cancer articles that might interest you:
Bounce!
Warrior Woman-3 years in the making!
Thank the Lord I woke up this morning
What does it feel like to have Cancer (3 part Series)
This site was… how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I have found something which helped me. Cheers!
I will only give my donations to the American Cancer Society. Thank you for shedding light on all of the companies wanting to take advantage of all of the cancer survivors. I will never give anything to any organization unless they will share how much goes directly to the organization. Basically it is not much.
Awesome Shaunna. I’m so proud of the woman you’ve become. The analog in environmental matters is “green washing,” in reference to companies who like to talk about caring for the environment but act otherwise.
Love,
Dad