October is a month of goblins, ghouls and pink. Most products you’ll see in the supermarket will be packaged in pink or fastened with a pink ribbon for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The act of turning products pink to boost profits in October is refered to as pinkwashing. It’s a way of conning consumers into buying a pink product; they think they’re doing a good deed when in reality the company is looking to make an easy buck. Companies can do this because their is no regulation in turning products pink or adding a pink ribbon.
In October of 2006, Campbell’s Soup changed the color of their soup cans pink. During that time, the company made over $755 million and only donated $800,000. Additionally, Campbell’s soup cans are made with BPA which is linked to cancer causing agents.
Companies like this are making money off of people who have cancer; it’s a never ending cycle. People get cancer, companies turn things pink, they make money. With this million dollar idea, why would they ever want to save lives?
What is all this awareness doing? Most people are aware of the existence of breast cancer. The mantra is that if you have regular breast exams and check ups you’ll be fine; fight like a girl and you’ll survive.
This awareness also never shows men with breast cancer. Why is that? Because their mammary glands aren’t sexualied we decide to forget they exist?
The mainstream campaign isn’t providing women with realistic depictions, prevention methods or awareness and support for those with Stage 4 breast cancer. Creating awareness doesn’t make money; that’s why companies have to sell pinkwashed products.
This is a disease that primarily affects women, so when you let women die for your own marketing value, you are relentlessly apart of the war on women. You are telling women that your profit is more important than their life.
In 2012, 59,000 women died from breast cancer in North America. We can stop this and change things, if only we research. Don’t give your money to a company who benefits from the disease continuing so they can keep making a profit.
Women are important, not only because these women are our sisters, mothers and aunts, but because women are people.
So this October, research before you buy a pink product. Make sure you aren’t getting duped. Be angry, write these companies letters, boycott them and tell everyone you know.
If you’re still interested in supporting breast cancer research directly donate to a cause. Make sure when you donate that they are a reliable organization.
Breast Cancer Action is “the only national breast cancer organization that does not accept funding from entities that profit from or contribute to cancer, including the pharmaceutical industry.”
-By Marisa Loranger