By Emma Woodward-Burdett
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s a great time to donate to breast cancer-related charities, show support, and raise awareness. However, there is one breast cancer awareness slogan that I absolutely can NOT stand. There are many different versions of this tagline, but they all boil down to the same thing. “Save the Boobies!”
Many people might think that “Help save second base” and “Save the Tatas” are just harmless ways to support breast cancer survivors. Unfortunately, those people are missing the whole point of breast cancer awareness. The first problem with these slogans is that they are incredibly dehumanizing to people fighting breast cancer. When someone says “Save the boobs!”, they’re not talking about saving the woman. They are really talking about saving the woman’s sex appeal. The main issue with these sexist breast cancer campaigns is they are placing the value on women having a “sexy” body, and not on their survival. It is completely ridiculous to focus on superficial elements of beauty rather than breast cancer patient’s ability to live a happy and healthy life, cancer-free.
Furthermore, These slogans don’t even make sense in regards to physically fighting breast cancer. Many women get mastectomies in order to beat cancer. These survivors have gotten rid of their breasts in order to live. How are they supposed to feel when they no longer have the one part of the body that “Save the Boobs” campaigns prioritize. These slogans tell survivors that they no longer have value, that they have technically lost the battle they worked so hard to fight. That message is incredibly harmful to send to breast cancer survivors and the people who have lost their lives to cancer. We should all focus on making these women feel supported and loved, regardless of what they have on their chests. So next time you think about donning your “Save the Boobies” t-shirt, please reconsider. Wear a pink ribbon instead.
