Breast Cancer Awareness Ads and Campaigns – Does the End Justify the Means?

There seems to be no end to what many would call provocative, and some would call tasteless, ads and campaigns that continue to pop up under the guise of supporting breast cancer awareness. Sometimes it seems they must be trying to outdo one another.
Sex sells; it even sells breast cancer awareness.
Proponents of such ads and campaigns argue that grabbing the attention first is what matters. Meaningful conversation can start later.
So, does this kind of logic work for you?
Is any kind of awareness better than no awareness at all?
Does the end justify the means?
I say no; it does not. Trivializing a deadly disease is wrong. Objectifying women is wrong as well. Two wrongs do not make a right.
Frankly, I’m a bit tired of the let’s lighten up cancer excuse that seems to be the prevalent reasoning behind the existence and marketing of many such provocative breast cancer awareness ads and campaigns. Lightening up breast cancer is the same as trivializing it in my book. And trivializing a disease that still kills 40,ooo women and men every year in the United States alone does not sit well with me.
Some things shouldn’t be lightened up or trivialized. Breast cancer is one of these things.
Breast cancer is still a serious disease and presenting it as anything else is just plain irresponsible. The objectification of women or their body parts is as well.
Often times such self-proclaimed “light-hearted” awareness campaigns proclaim to be appealing to a younger c...

Source: Disruptive Women in Health Care - October 31, 2013 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: dw at disruptivewomen.net Tags: Access Cancer Cost Source Type: blogs