Breast cancer campaign - sexist?

[Bloodybridget]

I was just looking at Third Sector magazine at work and saw a feature about CoppaFeel . What do you think about "Boob hijack"? While I can understand wanting to attract the attention of young women and encourage them to be aware of how their breasts look and feel, this feels to me like yet another way of saying that women's bodies are everyone's property, to be grabbed and gazed at and commented on. Does the end justify the means?

[jennyvstheworld]

The end does not justify the means????? If one single woman discovers a lump early because of this campaign .... Are you sure SGM?

[HerBeX]

oh it's just so tiring isn't it. Dull and stupid and mindless.

And I usually quite like Fearne Cotton

[HerBeX]

jenny there's the option of doing a good campaign which means that one single womjan discovers a lump early.

[jennyvstheworld]

Not in doubt... but not what was said either. I'm going to get on my high horse again about the cause blinding people to sense. I also dare say that there's a generation of yoof out there who do think of their boobs as being sexual and that that is not an inherently sexist frame of mind. I mean really! Where do some of these people get this rubbish from?

[jasper]

coppafeel, horrible !

[TillyIpswitch]

It doesn't even show you how to check your breasts, so it's not even actually a good means to an ends.

I try to check mine weekly since we have a family history, but I'm never confident that I'm doing it 100% properly, and I'm sure a lot of pele don't realise how high up you have to go, and that you also have to go under your armpits...

[TillyIpswitch]

OK, just had another look at the site, and it does show you how to check, in as much as it gives static, cartoon diagrams of the various things to do.

I do think though, that a). an actual video demonstration would be much more beneficial, and b). the promo itself is possibly doing more harm than good, depicting people 'copping a feel', squeezing breasts in a sexual manner as opposed to how you feel them when checking for lumps.

So actually, I don't think the ends justify the means if the means is no real help.

[jennyvstheworld]

SGM Who said only? You're the first.

I'm also curious as to how the 23-year old breast-cancer sufferer who started this campaign is part of this mysterious and shadowy 'patriarchy' you refer to. The campaign might be a bit faux-groovy for all you old grumps, but accusing it of 'yet another example blah blah blah..' is nonsense. Do you guys seriously spend your days looking for slights, insults and hidden meanings in everything?

You know how to live, I've got to tell you...

[KRIKRI]

I have a dear friend who recently had a double mastectomy and is on heavy duty chemo. She has a six year old ds and 4 year old dd. She personally finds the campaign insensitive, flippant and wide off the mark - that it would have put her off rather than encourage her to check her breasts.

I know it's not scientific as it's the view of one young woman who's experienced breast cancer. However, just because something looks "cool" and "edgy" doesn't mean it will be effective in achieving its stated goal.

[HandDivedScallopsrgreat]

"hidden meanings" jenny?? I don't think we have to look for hidden meanings in Coppafeel - it's pretty much in your face and obvious.

[TheBossofMe]

What a shite campaign.

I saw a good video recently about how to check your breasts - it was a bit old but if you can ignore the Di-styly flicky fringe, it was very informative. Will see if I can get a copy and figure out how to digitise and to upload (was in actual VHS form, so really old!!!)

[Bloodybridget]

Thanks for resposes, all. I thought if I posted here, some people at least would understand my reaction to the campaign. SGM, I hadn't thought about other breast cancer campaigns making breasts sexual only, good point.

[BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack]

I'm sure the young girl who suffers from breast cancer and started the campaign will be so flattered you think it is shite

Surely anything that highlights the issues is worthwhile....it's a very well known campaign too so she must be doing something right!

[HerBeX]

"Do you guys seriously spend your days looking for slights, insults and hidden meanings in everything?"

No we don't need to. They kind of jump out at us...

This is the feminist board, Jenny. We discuss things from a feminist perspective and we analyse the things around us with reference to feminism. Why would anyone be surprised by that? Offended, yes, frightened, OK, uncomfortable, yes too... but surprised? What were you expecting on the feminist board? The world from the viewpoint of Katie Price?

[TillyIpswitch]

When you check for lumps you're supposed to use the flat of your hand. This demo has people grabbing each others breasts with pincer hands which sends out the message (for those who don't go further into the site to view the cartoon diagrams) that this is how you check your breasts.

Presumably you will now have a sizeable number of people giving their breasts a bit of a squeeze and thinking they're OK. Not good.

Just because a campaign is well known, doesn't mean it's effective in getting its message across.

[HerBeX]

Quite. Look at that rubbish campaign for the NSPCC. It got lots of coverage, but i'm not sure it raised that much money for the charity.

[TillyIpswitch]

"You know how to live, I've got to tell you..."



Says she, via the medium of a parenting forum...

[KRIKRI]

I know this thread has kind of tapered off, but folks might be interested in this article, suggesting in marketing terms, that the pinkification of breast cancer campaigns might be more off putting than beneficial. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2018308/Is-childrens-TV-sexist-Male-dominated-programmes-lack-female-role-models.html