This is what early stage breast cancer looks like. It doesn’t look like pretty breasts or pink ribbons.

The artificial “awareness” campaigns like “no bra day” and “save the ta-tas” only serve to arouse young men who already have a hypersexualized impression of women.  Worse, the whole idea of no bra day doesn’t align with the realities of breast cancer. Breast cancer treatments often deform breasts (or completely remove them) such that women who have gone through breast cancer need to wear a bra in order to hold the prothesis or to avoid pain. It is insensitive and insincere. As a breast cancer survivor it is downright offensive.

We don’t need “awareness campaigns” about breast cancer, we need a cure. Consider supporting organizations that fund research into a cure, or organizations that help women recover from the physical and mental wounds associated with breast cancer treatment. Perhaps the awareness should focus on the lifetime financial impact for those with a cancer diagnosis. It certainly should not focus on pretty breasts and pink ribbons.

Today, October 1st, in reaction to the launch of breast cancer awareness month (pinktober) and “no bra day”, there is a twitter campaign called #breastcancerrealitycheck – supported by women with breast cancer to help bring about true awareness, rather than pretty pink ribbon campaigns. Please retweet this post.