Thursday, October 2, 2014

30 Facts in 30 Days, Day 2

How about something practical you can do in just a minute?

More than 20 years after the introduction of the pink ribbon, breast cancer “awareness” has become a multibillion-dollar industry that benefits corporations more than women’s health. This flood of products and the widespread culture of “pink” have hijacked the breast cancer movement.
Join breast cancer activists from across the country and send a letter to corporations that are responsible for some of the most outrageous pink ribbon promotions.
Together we demand that they Stop the Distraction and turn instead toward clear alternatives that can truly make a difference to all women, from all communities who are at risk of and living with breast cancer.

Click the link above and add your name! Then, when you see other offenders, ask to see a manager. Politely ask if they have any idea where the money from the tchotchkes goes, and if they don't, ask for the number to corporate. Please, please, don't direct your righteous anger at them - these types of things come from head offices, not local branches of major companies!

Yesterday I was at Walgreens, and when I was checking out, the screen asked if I wanted to add a donation to Komen for the Cure. Of course the answer is HELL NO, but I gave the clerk a really quick "why Komen sucks" which he had no idea about. (See this 2012 post from Kathi Kolb, aka The Accidental Amazon for more.) I went to the front counter and asked the ladies there - gave them a little bit more information, doing my best not to word-vomit on them, and asked who I could get in touch with. They told me that the best number is the one on my receipt, and that I'd either be able to speak to someone directly, or told where to write. I'm going to make that phone call today, and will edit when I have more information. My plan is to ask if whoever makes these decisions has any idea the controversy surrounding Komen, and whether they would consider switching to a different organization, like Metastatic Breast Cancer Network.

More tomorrow!

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