# E. Nough. With. The. Pink. Al. Ready. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 28, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869 "2013-09-28T15:37:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/81 "2013-09-30T19:11:00Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > Whether it was intended as objectifying or not, it came out that way, with the emphasis being on preservation of the body part, with no mention of the attached human being, which conveys the message that said human being doesn’t matters as much as that body part does. So your argument is that _a woman_ created a foundation centered around a misogynistic belief that the only reason for breasts is for people to be glad they have something to squeeze? Come on. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/82 "2013-09-30T19:29:31Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Perhaps that’s because you actually make charity donations. The “outraged” here obviously donate nothing; if they simply found breast cancer promotion tasteless, they could express that feeling by sending their money to one of the many, many other good causes out there. > > But they don’t… > > (And a few are expressing their well-known misogyny.) Oh, shut the fuck up. I may be annoyed by pinkwashing and I may make fun of the cancer walks for being a little absurd, but every time a friend or coworker has participated in something like that, I’ve donated generously. No one is anti-breast cancer research here. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/83 "2013-09-30T19:51:49Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > The “outraged” here obviously donate nothing Here, Bridgie, let me donate you a fucking clue. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/84 "2013-09-30T20:17:00Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Perhaps that’s because you actually make charity donations. The “outraged” here obviously donate nothing; if they simply found breast cancer promotion tasteless, they could express that feeling by sending their money to one of the many, many other good causes out there. How do you know what they do? As I mentioned upthread, there are some pretty damned good [feminist critiques](http://www.salon.com/2009/12/02/womens_health_2/) of the the pink ribbon movement. I’ve become so cynical about the medical establishment and the corporate influence on research and treatment for serious diseases that I don’t know what to believe any more. The evidence that mammograms are ineffective seems to have been largely ignored. It is more profitable to push pills and needless procedures than to find a cure, and one thing I have learned is that only potentially profitable scientific research tends to be funded. I don’t see a compelling case that more ‘‘awareness’’ will save lives. Honestly, I don’t even see a compelling case that more money for research will save lives. That will likely be the reality until the cure becomes more lucrative than the treatment. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/85 "2013-09-30T20:30:04Z")
Passed a “walk” yesterday. Couldn’t help thinking how much $ was spent on t-shrits, ribbons, etc that could have gone to research. Oh well, was a nice day for a walk. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/86 "2013-09-30T20:40:48Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > That will likely be the reality until the cure becomes more lucrative than the treatment. There may well never be better treatment than we have now. Cancer is a body cell going rogue, from damage or age or genetic fragility. There is no way to “cure” that, and only limited ways to prevent it. Exceptional detection techniques coupled with improved early-intervention tactics are about the only improvement we can expect in the next century. As that’s pretty much all “cancer research” has produced in the last 50+ years, and we’re still only at a “pretty good chances if you catch it early” plateau… walk all you want and wear pink from the skin out, if it makes you feel better. Just don’t imagine you’re actually doing anything that merely sending off a check once a year will. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/87 "2013-10-01T00:02:24Z")
I don’t feel any particular outrage, but I was mildly amused when a local radio station advertised an event a giving away “Breast Health Awareness Bobbleheads.” Let’s see how their thought process might have gone: [ol] [li]You want people to think about healthy breasts.[/li] [li]You are ordering a custom-made toy that bobs and jiggles.[/li] [li]“I know! Let’s make it the HEAD that jiggles!”[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/88 "2013-10-01T01:53:58Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > So your argument is that _a woman_ created a foundation centered around a misogynistic belief that the only reason for breasts is for people to be glad they have something to squeeze? > > Come on. I know a lot of women who buy into the cultural argument that female value is measured by sexual appeal, and that is all that matters about women. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/89 "2013-10-01T01:58:20Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > Whether it was intended as objectifying or not, it came out that way, with the emphasis being on preservation of the body part, with no mention of the attached human being, which conveys the message that said human being doesn’t matters as much as that body part does. So the whole movement should be about “people with chest cancer”? Can’t say as I disagree, but it takes a pretty high sensitivity to read “breast cancer” as detaching the boob from the human, all other associations aside. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/90 "2013-10-01T02:08:33Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > So the whole movement should be about “people with chest cancer”? Can’t say as I disagree, but it takes a pretty high sensitivity to read “breast cancer” as detaching the boob from the human, all other associations aside. Reading for comprehension is great. You should try it sometime. As I very clearly stated, it’s the “save the (insert juvenile term for breasts)” sloganeering that reads as “preserve sexual body part, the attached human being doesn’t matter”. The “pink everywhere” bit is a separate gripe about how apparently men and kids are expendable, all cancer research funding should be directed only to breasts. (And yes, I’m aware men can get breast cancer, but that’s a very small percentage of patients.) My own support of cancer research is a bit wider-ranging, since ALL cancer should go away, not just that which damages female sex appeal. ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/91 "2013-10-01T08:27:52Z")
I am 100 percent on board with this pitting. I don’t mind pink in small doses, but by far my favourite colour is here, hi! or this one. I buy things in this lovely teal. Women deseve better than just slathering tchotckes in pink ribbons for a few moments of fun feel-good folderol. Cancer is horrible and the treatment is a bitch. I for one don’t want to see an end to JUST breast cancer; but as many types of cancer that can be cured, because cancer chews people up and spits them out. Because my Aunt Cathy had sarcoma, for someone else’s aunt, cousin, sister, brother, mom, dad, uncle and grandparents. Because funerals suck. AND because one remembers for a long time how much your aunt fought and suffered, only to die. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/92 "2013-10-01T10:19:00Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Here, Bridgie, let me donate you a fucking clue. How about you donate her a pair of fucking clues, and then in a few weeks they’ll have a litter of cute little baby clues for her to take care of, and then another litter next time clue fucking season comes around, and so on. Although considering the **Burkmeister** ’s track record, she would hug them and kiss them and squeeze them and call them George, and they’d have to go in the ground with all the other clues. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/93 "2013-10-01T12:47:57Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > If the Senate can put up a rule saying “we’re filibustering now” without actually, you know, talking or anything, it seems to me that a lot of money and time could be saved by creating a “we’re running now” or “we’re walking now” rule for these fundraisers. They should adopt this rule if there are any pedestrian safety organization fund drives and call it the “hey, I’m walkin’ here” rule. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/94 "2013-10-01T13:06:16Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > As I very clearly stated, it’s the “save the (insert juvenile term for breasts)” sloganeering that reads as “preserve sexual body part, the attached human being doesn’t matter”. We don’t disagree there, and I missed the turn onto Sulidae Street. ---
**Author:** ![Tequila\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a6a055/32.png) [@Tequila\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tequila_Party)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/95 "2013-10-01T13:19:38Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Perhaps that’s because you actually make charity donations. The “outraged” here obviously donate nothing; if they simply found breast cancer promotion tasteless, they could express that feeling by sending their money to one of the many, many other good causes out there. > > But they don’t… > > (And a few are expressing their well-known misogyny.) Hey Amazing Kreskin, what other complete bullshit can you pull out of your ass? What an insipidly ridiculous assertion to make. You don’t know jack shit about anyone’s donation habits here, holier than thou internet smart ass. Try again! ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/96 "2013-10-01T13:40:14Z")
> [@Tequila\_Party](#): > > I think the reason some people assume walkathons to be more appealing than any other charity drive is because it’s not just a hand out. You’re giving to someone who actually gets off their ass and does something for your money. Shrug. Makes sense to me. I’d rather see a “Let’s go clean up the trash along the river for Breast Cancer” or a “let’s make a lot of non-perishable food for the homeless-athon” than another fucking walk/run. Y’know, something that actually gives back to the world on top of it than another corporate-sponsored-trash-inducing-traffic-causing-walk-run-feel-good-while-doing-nothing-a-thon. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/97 "2013-10-01T17:07:44Z")
> [@seal\_cleaner](#): > > My Mom hated that pink stuff, and she was an official Breast Cancer Survivor. The worst (for her) came when the NFL started it. I got a phone call most Sundays about it. No kidding. The irony of " How DARE you attack my right to wear [hot pink Breast Cancer Awareness™®](http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/1045theteam.com/files/2012/10/153209921.jpg) ( but NOT “For The Cure” which is trademarked and legally protected to the ends of the known universe you whoring thieving marketeer you !) uniforms while gleefully inflicting [Chronic traumatic encephalopathy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronic_traumatic_encephalopathy) with every üuber-violent helmet on helmet tackle is not lost on the viewing public. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/98 "2013-10-01T17:34:34Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > I’d rather see a “Let’s go clean up the trash along the river for Breast Cancer” or a “let’s make a lot of non-perishable food for the homeless-athon” than another fucking walk/run. Y’know, something that actually gives back to the world on top of it than another corporate-sponsored-trash-inducing-traffic-causing-walk-run-feel-good-while-doing-nothing-a-thon. I think I’m in love! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/99 "2013-10-01T18:36:22Z")
Hey guys, wouldn’t you know after all this discussion I found a documentary on Netflix instant called ''Pink Ribbons, Inc." It is in many ways a feminist critique of the breast cancer movement and I think pretty interesting. One point raised, for example, was how the movement began with a kind of radical political environmentalist message. Some women feel that this movement was hijacked by Race for the Cure/corporate interests, targeted toward the mainstream (upper middle-class white women) and this demand for radical political and social change was ultimately transformed into something safe and socially palatable. The documentary also interviews women with Stage IV (terminal) cancer who have felt alienated by this movement because of its insistence on downplaying negative emotions like anger and grief. One woman talked about how awkward it was to go to a regular breast cancer support group with Stage IV cancer. She became the elephant in the room, the spectre of death admist a group of women who were encouraged to be positive and implicitly told that if they worked hard enough, they would survive. As she put it, ‘‘They were there to learn how to live, while I was there to learn how to die.’’ Anyway I thought it was worth checking out. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869/100 "2013-10-01T19:31:29Z")
There is no question that there are many facets involved, even if we limit it to this particular type of cancer and assume it’s a woman’s issue. There are going to be a variety of viewpoints, from bored do-gooders looking for something to spend time on to your Stage IV victim looking for terminal support and assistance. I can’t think of a one of those issues helped by Big Pink. At all. Except for providing a convenient sandbox for the do-gooder crowd. (I am involved in a number of community efforts and the proportion of people who show up to “help” by essentially doing fun! new! party planning! drives me crazy.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-nough-with-the-pink-al-ready/669869.md?page=6)