a thoughtful pink cheerleader

OK, so I was watching "Five" on Lifetime last week, when I commented, "I wish someone with breast cancer had been involved in the writing or at least looked at the script."

One of my fellow viewers said, "Maybe somebody did but they were a big pink cheerleader."

Ouch! You don't have to scroll down far to know that I am willing to wear pink a few times a year, and do not have a zero-tolerance policy on pink ribbons. (Except the Walgreen's cap. I HATE the Walgreen's cap.)

I hope that the pink has not eroded my brain so much that I can not tell the difference between a sincere show of support, and exploitative merchandising. It is possible to support a pink cause and still have a thoughtful understanding of breast cancer.  So I guess my new self-description is "a thoughtful pink cheerleader."

It's interesting, I now bring up the "pink ribbon controversy" to people at the breast cancer events I speak at, and to be honest, it's not really a mainstream topic, even with women's health care professionals. I do tell people that pink ribbons are a negative to some women with breast cancer, and there is a growing backlash.

Which brings me to some other thoughtful cheerleaders.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20120471-10391704.html

I actually have no problem with these gals and their, "Feel for lumps, save your bumps" t-shirt. I mean it actually is kind of catchy.  It's age appropriate as well. While it's true not every breast can be conserved, and not every cancer locally controlled, for teenage girls I think it's an OK place to start.

AND...the article moves on the the whole pinkwashing issue. Honestly I think the segway is a little random, but it is interesting to see our debate is becoming sort of a standard "nutgraf" to a breast cancer article.