It’s no surprise that this widely publicized campaign brings all things pink to center stage. You name it, it’s out there -- unabashed.
Pink ribbons, pink t-shirts, pink water bottles, pink panties, perfectly posh pink heels… and of course pink “tatas” decked out to the nines.
Sure, these products seem like a normal, accepted cheerleading effort for a worthwhile cause. But is everyone “thinking pink"?
The answer is no. And the reason is one you just might want to be aware of. Consider this disturbing example.
In 2010, a shoe company named Dansko sold pink ribbon clogs to consumers. Naturally, trusting buyers thought that at least some of the money raised went to support a program benefiting the cause.
That’s just common sense, right?
Wrong.
According to Think Before You Pink, a project of Breast Cancer Action, none of those sales directly went to benefit the company’s donation. That’s because the $25,000 designated to go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure was preset. In other words, a million people could have purchased pink ribbon clogs, and that figure would have stayed exactly the same.
Shocking.
But it doesn’t stop there. Other well-known companies are just as guilty.
Take this, for instance. In 2010, Reebok sold a series of widely publicized pink ribbon shoes and clothing. Supportive customers were told that some of the sales would benefit the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade.
Sounds great, right? Not so much.
Enthusiastic consumers were not given one rather important element of the equation. That element is this: Reebok had set a limit of $750,000 for the donation -- regardless of how many products were sold. Further, it initiated no system to alert consumers once the donation amount had been met, according to Think Before You Pink. Stories like this are becoming more and more common. That’s why one organization is fighting back. And it’s fighting hard.
Meet Breast Cancer Action, the “good guys” behind Think Before You Pink. These watchful warriors are determined to put a stop to corporate conspiracy and hypocrisy to set the record straight.
Breast Cancer Action is an activist watchdog organization focused on systemic interventions meant to address the root cause of breast cancer. And Think Before You Pink is a project of that organization. Its goal is simple: to create transparency and accountability by companies that take part in breast cancer fundraising.
In light of this effort, a new term has gained popularity. That term is “pinkwashing.”
Coined by Breast Cancer Action, pinkwashing is used to define companies or organizations advocating breast cancer awareness while at the same time manufacturing or selling products linked to breast cancer itself.
One arm of this campaign focuses on something many of us never think about. That “something” is makeup -- and the toxicity that many popular products contain.
The fitting name says it all -- Poison Isn’t Pretty. And this powerful movement just might change the view of those beloved products.
According to Poison Isn’t Pretty, the campaign revolves around a concerning concept. That concept is that cosmetics used in a cancer patient program titled Look Good, Feel Better just might be harmful.
The campaign states that Look Good, Feel Better “is run by the cosmetics industry’s largest trade association, the Personal Care Products Council, and the American Cancer Society, the largest cancer charity in the U.S.”
Look Good, Feel Better offers free workshops aimed at giving beauty tips and free makeup kits to women in cancer treatment. While this sounds heartwarming, there is definitely another side of the equation.
Four common agents found in products associated with this program just may cause cancer themselves. These agents are parabens, formaldehyde releasers, fragrance and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
The question is: Why are these agents concerning?
For starters, research shows that parabens can be absorbed through the skin. Consequently, six different parabens have actually been found in biopsies of breast tumors. And methylparaben, which was found in the kit, may interfere with the efficacy of Tamoxifen, a breast cancer treatment drug.
Further, formaldehyde releasers have the potential to be absorbed through the skin. These agents have been linked to both allergic skin reactions and cancer.
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), also known as Teflon, may be contaminated with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). This agent is known to modify mammary gland development.
Also concerning, the campaign states that “the term ‘fragrance’ often hides ingredients that are hormone disruptors and carcinogens, as well as sensitizers that can trigger uncomfortable side effects for women undergoing treatment for breast cancer.”
Those involved with Breast Cancer Action say there are several things consumers can do to fight back.
First, ask questions before buying pink items that claim to support breast cancer. Essential questions include:
· Does any money from this purchase go to support breast cancer programs? And how much?
· What organization will get the money? What will they do with the funds, and how do these programs turn the tide of the breast cancer epidemic?
· Is there a “cap” on the amount the company will donate? Has this maximum donation already been met? Can you tell?
· Does this purchase put you or someone you love at risk for exposure to toxins linked to breast cancer? What is the company doing to ensure that its products do not contribute to the breast cancer epidemic?
And if you want to get more involved in this movement, there are two things you can do. After all, major change in legislation often begins with citizens standing up for what they believe in.
First, stand up against fracking. “More than 700 chemicals are used in the fracking process, and 25 percent of them are linked to cancer,” says Alyssa Figueroa, campaigns coordinator for Breast Cancer Action in a newsletter. “That’s why we’re pushing for a fracking ban on public lands.”
Second, support the Lymphedema Treatment Act. “The Lymphedema Treatment Act (LTA) is a federal bill that aims to improve insurance coverage for the medically necessary, doctor-prescribed compression supplies that are the cornerstone of lymphedema treatment,” according to LymphedemaTreatmentAct.org. Figueroa says lymphedema is a “common, debilitating side effect of breast cancer treatment. But not all women can afford the care they need.”
At the end of the day, the decision to act is a personal one that you may or may not agree with. But now you have the facts you need to make an educated choice.