Breast cancer activism thoughts

[lady_kishiria]

I realize that while I'm at medium risk for breast cancer (no kids, moderate drinker) I could never, EVER participate in breast cancer activism.

The short answer is that there's too much damned PINK. I do not do PINK.

This is shorthand for "to participate in activism against a disease that attacks women no matter what their lifestyle, only women who fit a certain stereotyped femininity need apply." If you're white, married, preferably with kids, and you are conventionally feminine and like pink, come on by. If you're butch or androgynous or queer (the three do not necessarily all go together) please go away.

I tried to picture ommkarja, vzd, prushrush and myself as part of this event. I couldn't do it.

I'm tempted towards a long dissertation about the subtle death wish against those who don't fit the stereotype of a "good" woman, but I won't.

Comments

[kishiriadgr.livejournal.com]

Breast cancer events are pink, Pink, PINK! No rainbows involved! No pink pins involved either, we're talking pink hats, pink shirts, pink signs, pink everything.

[xerne.livejournal.com]

Well, when I've gone to them, they don't force me into pink, no more than gay events force me to wear rainbows, or AIDS activists tie me up with red ribbons. Of course, if a color bothers you sufficiently that you're not interested in supporting a cause, it's your decision.

[kishiriadgr.livejournal.com]

I'll preface this by saying "Maybe this is a San Diego" thing. However they've been pushing the upcoming three-day walk heavily on our local TV stations and using footage from other events and everything is pink.

I'm not saying I don't support a cause just because of a colour. I'm saying that use of a colour that is used to stereotype women makes me suspect that I wouldn't be wanted there, that I would be marginalized, because I'm not conventionally feminine and am growing increasingly uncomfortable with femininity. Pink is shorthand for femininity in this culture, and a particular kind of femininity at that.

I know you have a lot invested personally in breast cancer research, and thought of that after I responded to you initially. It's not the colour I object to, but the stereotypical use of it, with a side trip to the way the ads here are formulated, with lots and lots of images of white women in a city where at least half the city isn't.