This journal isn't controversial enough, so I figured I could get this little confession out here:
I refuse to support breast cancer research.
Go ahead and read that again if you need to; it's okay. Because there's got to be someone out there thinking She's not really serious, is she? Oh, I assure you, I am.
I do not support breast cancer research.
Now, any other charity, pretty much, I could come out in every day life and be like, "Nah man, I don't donate to that", and it'd be relatively okay. But breast cancer is the biggest sacred cow I have seen lately. I have people in my office who literally say things like "It's ALLLLL about the pink!" in dead seriousness and me, I just can't connect with that. It's like if you're a woman, which means you may or may not have tits, you should be donating every single spare cent and minute to THE CAUSE. In some circles, some places, there is seriously that expectation.
It's not that I don't know the effects of breast cancer - my aunt had it. Cancer has happened in my family, up to and including breast cancer. Cancer sucks it. I would be down with finding a cure (or cures, as it might very well be) to cancer in its various forms.
But really, I, myself, am so, so sick of being bombarded with pink ribbons and pink t-shirts and pink walks and pink this and pink stamps (okay, they're not pink, but you know what I mean) and just PINK PINK PINK.
Okay, I don't even LIKE pink as a color on it's own, okay?
And the thing of it is, the thing of it is, there are so many other things that need supporting and researching. Like AIDS. Or kids, I like kids. I think literacy is a good cause, as are a number of environmental efforts.
And it's not like I'm against science, hello. Or even against research, or breast cancer research in specific. I just don't feel that my dollars need to go to it. There's a whole lot of money that already goes to it, money that I am not entirely sure is actually spent on cancer research, and I would rather support things like my alma mater and AIDS research and alternative power research and Planned Parenthood and buy Christmas gifts for kids in care and things like that.
Also, I don't care if your dollars or minutes or whatever go towards supporting breast cancer research. That's cool, yo, it's all yours to do with as you wish. Mine just won't be joining yours.
Ah, that feels much better. I still won't advertise the fact around the office, but it was nice to advertise it somewhere.
Monday, July 02, 2007
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I'm a 20-something feminist switch who tends toward the sub side, living with my hetero life mate/fellow switch/husband, and just trying to figure out what the hell's going on. This is a sex blog, but not strictly a sex blog, because sex is but a part of my life, even though it all ties together. Since I do talk about sex and other related topics, this blog is for adults only, please.
3 comments:
I actually agree with you. Lately Safeway has been running a prostate cancer drive. Every time I'm at the checkout they ask me if I want to donate to the fight against prostate cancer. EVERY SINGLE TIME! And I'm sorry, Dan and I do give money to various good causes, but please stop asking me every time I go! I go to the store for fresh foods 4-5 times a week, for god's sake!
The thing is, with all these cancers...giving our money isn't *curing* the cancer. The attitude is very much like, if you give money then you're eliminating cancer altogether!
That's not so at all.
Yes, they can do a lot more these days to help and yes, cancer research is important but they already get a lot of attention. And to make it even clearer how I understand the tragedy, my mom and my ex-MIL died of cancer. It's horrible. I'm not saying we should stop trying but there IS a ton of money and interest already there. And there ARE other causes that are very important that do not get anywhere near the attention cancer research gets.
And, if I DO give money for more research, *where* exactly is it going? What are they using it for? I've read that over 90 percent of money given to most charities goes right back into promoting and marketing said charity to bring in even more money. Most of which goes right back into marketing again.
Anyway. I feel ya! :)
Yay! I'm not alone!!!
One thing you might like; I don't know if I've mentioned it before: Charity Navigator. They evaluate charities so that you can see exactly where your money is going. Not every charity is on there, but you can ask for them to be added. They're very helpful, I've found.
I'm another one who resents the Pink Campaign in particular, my father and brother died from pancreatic cancer-where's the ribbon campaign for that form of the disease? I refuse to support any of those special campaigns.
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