Anxious I don’t think any of us want to see asda pull out- all we want us for them to be a little more sensitive + to rethink their tickled pink slogan + approach.
I’ve must looked at the asda link + some of the comments. They are obviously aware that many find their campaigns upsetting + offensive but are reluctant to do anything about it. The photo alone on the link is enough to offend me- glam women in provocative+ sexy pink clothing + poses. Hardly a good illlustration / repreenationof bc-given that many of us bc sufferers feel very unsexy+ unfeminine during treatment due to losing breasts, hair, gaining weight etc, I feel gorgeous women in sexy pink bras, basques etc is hardly the appropriate image for asda’s bc campaign???
(1) I don’t think minimax meant that being positive effects outcome. I think she started off talking about having a negative attitude to the campaign, and then got a bit side tracked by saying it’s up to the individual how they chose to regard the disease/treatment (not that how someone regards it will make any difference).
(2) I agree that the pink campaign needs to be interspersed with more information, the common misconception that gingerbud describes should not happen, because a campaign exists to raise awareness as well as funds.
(3) However, because the pink campaign does not achieve everything we would like, this is not enough to criticise it in the way that people frequently do on this forum. Issues about reinforcing inequality through stereotypes, are in my view unfounded.
(4) When CzechMate and Gingerbud refer to Juliet & co, who is the co they are talking about ? I think what this thread has shown is that there is a variety of opinion on this forum, so I find reference to the phrase & co rather curious, and a little worrying. Even the suggestion of a little gang, will put people off posting.
I agree Belinda,the projection of glamourous women in next to nothing doesn’t sit well with a disease that has caused many women to loose their hair and breasts.It will always be difficult to accomodate everyone to agree on the correct way to go about fundraising.However Breast cancer care,which owes a lot of its funding from these campaigns have been behind a lot of sucessful awareness and campaigns,the most recent being getting the goverment to record secondary breast cancer statistics.Maybe that is where we need to be getting these strong and very necessary messages out.
I just read the Asda thread That Marif has mentioned, about their new fund raising and money going to BCC.
But then I read all the comments at the bottom of their publication. I am grateful that Asda do fund raising and raise so much. I am sure it boots THEIR profits too!! People do want to give to breast cancer charities because they know/have lost someone with BC. But surely it would not be such a huge thing to just have a think about the “Tickled Pink” slogan. It is obvious that it upsets people. Isn’t that enough?
I have read this thread with interest. Whilst I do not like the ‘tickled pink’ brand and all it stands for, I think there are other factors contributing to the trivialisation of breast cancer. For example; celebrity breast cancer. Apart from Ade Edmonsens wonderful diatribe, there is a predictability about how celebrity sufferers will cope with it. They either take the quiet route and say absolutely nothing (which is the one I prefer) or they tout their breast cancer as a symbol of their inner strength and poise. These women are held up as an example to us, a very unfair example.
They set unrealistic expectations of women with breast cancer.
The other factor is us ourselves (albeit not deliberately). I had aggressive cancer two years ago and am ‘back to normal’. People see me as an example of how you can get your life back. They dont want to listen to me when I start talking about the dark spectre of secondary cancer (having almost all my nodes infected and narrow margins, it is a possibility I should be vigilant for). That does not mean I am not positive. Positive for me does not mean living in cloud cuckoo land and presuming because I say to myself I am positive, that all will be alright. Positive is taking control of your life, looking at your diet and exercise, keeping abreast of current treatments and being aware of any unusual symptoms. Even with this, I know I might get secondaries in the future but I choose not to dwell on that fact and live my life in the now.
This is my opinion on the subject and sorry if it offends anyone.
Linda
Lemongrove just to clarify, when I said ‘and co’ I was simply referring to the few posters before myself who had also took offence to the comments by miniminx. I’m posting on iPhone + am unable to scroll back + get everyone’s names to refer to whilst mid-post, so only mentioned the ones I could remember + said ‘and co’ in case I excluded anyone. I did this so I didn’t have to repeat any points that had already been made by those ladies who appear to share a similar view to myself on this.I thought that was clear+ didn’t realise this would be misinterpreted as ‘ganging up’. There is no nastiness on this thread, just discussion so please lets leave it that way.
Hi Lemongrove, I simply read ‘& co’ to be an acknowledgement, without having to re-read and mention everyone’s names, to those who had written to express a similar view. There is certainly no ‘gang’ no hidden agenda. There’s always been a variety of opinion on this subject. It’s a subject that’s been raised countless times here and long may it continue to debated by all.
Thanks for clarifying that gingerbud, it’s just that when you use phrases like Juliet & co, and say things like “Anxious I don’t think any of us want to see asda pull out- all we want us for them to be a little more sensitive + to rethink their tickled pink slogan + approach”, I question who the we is that you are referring to, it implies you are speaking on behalf of a group rather than yourself.
I think what this thread demonstrates is the variety of opinion that exists on this forum, and I find it quite worrying that people have sent me pm’s saying they are worried about posting, because they fear being ganged up on.
If this thread started getting intimidating I have every confidence the BCC moderators would step in with a reminder of their guidelines when posting on the forums.
Belinda, hopefully they will. I just think it’s important to say I think this, rather than we think this, because it sort of suggests that there is only one view, and if you differ you’re not part of the gang.
Hi, yes I take your point on saying I instead of we and I would certainly not want anyone to be put off from posting their opinion.
I think the important thing is to try and keep this thread on topic,maybe start another thread for any of the other issues that this topic throws up.I have been on these boards for long enough to witness the hijacking of this particular thread many times.It is why i havent commented before even though i have quite strong views on it.I remain determined to only discuss the pink and fluffy.
Hi all
As Belinda has pointed out, please remember our Community Guidelines when posting, particularly points 1) and 2) which I’ve copied below:
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Many people using the forum are going through difficult times. A few words of kindness can go a long way. Be especially nice to new posters – it can be very nerve-wracking to post on the forum for the first time.
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A wide range of people with very different experiences use the forum. Differences and debate are very welcome, but this is no place for personal attacks. Please make your points politely and respectfully. Equally, be prepared for people to disagree with you and try not to take it as a personal attack when it is not meant that way.
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Can I just say that I have never ganged up on anybody in my life and have no intentions of starting now.
We all have a right to express an opinion.
I also have had pm’s from people afraid of posting and expressing the view the forums are in danger of becoming a dictatorship !!
Nobody is accusing you of that Juliett, the only reason your name was mentioned was that two peeps referred to Juliette & Co.
I think the problem is that when people like Czechmate start describing the post of others as “pure drivel”, that is just plain rude, and the mods should stop it. Also when peeps start saying we think this, rather than I think this, or that I agree with juliett & Co, it can give the impression that only one view is allowed.
This has been an interesting discussion until now, so please lets keep things respectful and civil.
I know feelings are running high but can I remind people to remain on the original topic, which is about fundraising campaigns for breast cancer charities.
Otherwise, if it ends up as an argument and not about the topic of the thread, we will have to close the thread, which would be a shame as it has been an interesting discussion on a topic about which people have strong and varied opinions.
Thank you
Leah
I’m not quite sure why my innocent coments keep being highlighted + discected?? why I keep being quoted? There is noone ganging up on anyone on here but once again things are getting personal + I seem to be being portrayed as some sort of gangleader!?! are we not allowed to share the views/ agree with other members any more?? Totally redicilous and I for one want no further part in this dscussion thanks to the uneccessary+ accusatory comments of one poster. 
Let’s not have to have this thread closed. There are perhaps, broadly, 3 groups of opinion rather than any ‘gangs.’ It’s a subject where there’s not often much middle ground. Some will be very happy with all the cash that’s raised, others will be very upset by the methods that are sometimes used to get the public to part with their cash…others, I think a smaller number, will not like the ‘tickled’ but will grit their teeth…I used to be very much a part of the second group now, over time, I’ve become more resigned to grit teeth nothing will change soon group.
Agreeing with someone else’s opinion is perfectly acceptable. (I enjoy reading your thoughtful posts Gingerbud and I hope you might reconsider and post here again but I fully understand if you would prefer not to.)
Back to the title of the thread! I do hope another approach might be tried sometime. I like the Macmillan Coffee Morning, the Crocus Walks…my family did their own crocus walk for me just after my diagnosis.
This has been a very interesting and thought provoking discussion. Personally, I want the maximum amount of money to be raised so that this disease may one day be curable for everyone. It would be nice if this could be done without trivialising breast cancer and therefore causing offence and hurt to those of us affected by BC. It would certainly help if the ‘pink and fluffy’ campaigns could be combined with more factual information so we would not have to hear the sort of commments previously mentioned (such as ‘BC is the best cancer to have’ or ‘glad to hear you are cured’ as soon as chemo has finished).
I, too, would not like this thread to close because although I do not agree with all the comments made, I welcome the opportunity to hear other peoples views.
Hi Ladies,
I dont know if anyone else has come accross this online,but lately ive been reading a lot of other cancer (not breast) forums/websites/blogs ect where many people are now getting quite upset and object to the amount of publicity,fundraising,high profile,money ect that BC gets, I can understand why other cancer patients feel that way as they dont get no where near the same amount of attention ,publicity (or money) so it realy cant be very easy for them .
However,saying that i also think BC fundraising has mainly been down to the sheer hard work of mostly WOMEN who get out there and do all this kind of stuff to get the message accross ,create awearness and get the MONEY in.
The Pink issue like others here have said has always been a very difficult and emotive subject on the forums and everyone has always had very different views on it, one thing that realy worries me though is that we need to be very carefull not to throw the “baby out with the bath water” trying to change something which is universally known as “PINK for breast cancer” i think would be impossible to do it would be confusing to the public and quite possibly detrimental to us in the long run , there has been a growing trend of “Pink Bashing” online (not here)and personaly i think we are in danger of being seen as ungreatfull, i also know there are some people who are begining to wonder “why they bother” so its a very difficult one isnt it?
Like everyone else here i would certainly like to see very much more of the “True” realities of this vile desease being shown in all of the Main stream Campagins, but how we get the “Big Wigs” to do that i dont know, its a balance of not scareing people s***less but also not painting a rosy picture where everyone has a happy ending, dont know if anyone has any ideas on that.
RE the Pink & Fluffy though, “Male” cancers dont get it any better either,have a look at these .
click sideways for Prostate,Testicular,Bowel
Think looking at these id rather have the Pink and Fluffy!
Linda x