tis the season (october).

i'm a bit confused why those that support the big "pink ribbon" agenda always make those that DON'T -seem like haters. it's funny because that's EXACTLY how the marketing works- if you're not out walking, running and consuming for the cause and it's "victims" then you just don't care. god forbid we simply conserve our personal energy by NOT walking and avoid purchasing unnecessary pink products by NOT consuming and give to the charity DIRECTLY. it's all so passive. what happened to genuine compassion without a gift in return of something useless.

i don't hate the pink "campaign"- i loathe it. and not because it over-rides other diseases and causes of death. i loathe it because it is sexist and undermines fundamental feminist issues. it's an oppressive plight that uses bloated old-age feminine ideologies about our bodies and our place in the world to scare women into being "AWARE" at the expense of our integrity while practicing the sweet pleasures of capitalism. yeh, it's a mouth full. it is simply a "fear losing your breast because it has everything to do with who you are". it's a frightening day when some one says with a light, careless air in their voice- it's ok- it's breast cancer- it IS all about the breast, after all.

i've been diagnosed twice with a mastectomy the second time around with no re-construction. my grandmother had breast cancer and a bi-lateral mastectomy (no re-construction) in her 60's and died 20 years later with lung cancer. i move forward in her/our honor by NOT supporting breast cancer organizations that use the disease and women's bodies so carelessly and without a social or feminist conscience. any campaign that uses a headless woman's torso and talks about "save the breast" or "kick it" with vague misleading illusions to bring attention to it's CAUSE is NOT working in MY name or my grandmother's . in other words these organizations do NOT speak for me. we who march to a different drummer certainly are allowed to have and voice our keen socially/politically observant opinions - despite that they may go against the comfy zone of mainstream popularity. but we are far from being "haters".

my fabulous friend and patient advocate Jeanne Sather has some great suggestions on her blog. If you'd like to contribute to the "cause" in a more direct, compassionate way consider the question... "What DO You Want (Instead of a Pink Ribbon)?"

sometimes it doesn't cost a single cent to help the "cause". help low-income medically underserved women by making a simple phone call.

see the right column on this blog- i place some interesting information under "ON PINK".

in the same vain as my opinion "on pink" i design clothing for women who have had a mastectomy and choose NOT to impose society's politics and ideologies on their already traumatized bodies and do not have reconstruction or a wear the blob (aka the prosthesis). it is the very first clothing line to EMBRACE the single breasted or no breasted body... www.rheabelle.etsy.com

de-pink at Rebel1in8

please see "MY TOP RESOURCES" in the right column.