Pink Ribbons, Inc.

[Questionable]

I'm not sure if this belongs in this forum. I would consider it part of the category of gender discrimination, but if a moderator feels differently then they can move it.

I can't believe there is not already a topic about the book-turned-documentary "Pink Ribbons, Inc." It's available on Netflix and it is incredibly interesting. It details the history of the "pink ribbon culture" of anti-breast cancer activism. It reveals companies who label products of theirs that carry carcinogens with the pink ribbon! It takes a look at breast cancer research, which is next to totally ineffective because companies continue to donate towards research groups looking unsuccessfully for a cure while the causes and ways to prevent breast cancer in the first place receive pitiful funding and attention out of fear of their products being linked to it. There's also some very emotional scenes with women who feel alienated by the happy-go-lucky atmosphere of the pink ribbon culture. The documentary takes a critical view towards the role that capitalism has played in stunting the progress towards a cure, and the history of the movement is explored by showing how corporations hijacked radical environmentalist movements against cancer and turned it into consumer-friendly "Buy our product and give ten cents to breast cancer research!" passivity.

I have not read the book, but the documentary is available on Netflix, and I highly recommend to anyone with even a vague interest in womens' rights.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Sounds very interesting. I've noticed also a sexualizing of breast cancer. Around my university campus, the motto "save second base" has become ubiqutous. There seems to be a real ignorance that many women who have breast cancer -- such as my mother -- don't have the option of "saving" their breasts. For all of the professed support of breast cancer patients, mastectomies are still very stigmatized.

[NewLeft]

i tried watching this with someone, it was an awfully boring doc. she repeats the same lines she used in her book, article, in interviews... etc. don't bother watching it if you're already familiar with the whole "pink ribbon" scandal. it's unnecessarily long and not really an informative doc. you pretty much get all you need from the trailer and reviews

[noble brown]

I came across this just the other day. i found it very informative and fairly interesting. i also knew nuthin of this issue before hand tho. perhaps if youre already knowing about this then it may not be for you but i thought it was good