When Facebook Goes Pink with Breast Cancer Campaign…

Image : Google Images

This morning I woke up and logged into Facebook and there was a message sitting pretty neatly in my inbox waiting for me with hope in its eyes, that I won’t shun it this time like I did it twice last evening, when it appeared in my inbox.

The message read:
"Without replying to this message, put a heart on your wall, no comment, just a heart. Next, post a heart on the wall of the person who sent you this message. Then send the message to your women friends, only women. If anyone asks you why you have so many hearts on your wall, don't tell them. This is only for women, because this is breast cancer research week. One small act of solidarity between women. To type a heart, first type < and then 3. It will turn into a heart as soon as you post it.
p.s. don't forget to post a heart on my wall" 

Last year, a similar message was circulated among ladies in the same manner, in February, stating it was Breast Cancer Awareness month and we couldn't tell the boys about it; "keep them guessing", it said.

I have had such messages in the past too, "share your bra color, share the place you would throw your handbag".

Here, I don’t intend to ruin anybody’s fun nor I imply that this is a criminal act. In fact, to join a campaign for a good cause, I am always in. 

However, if I have to spread awareness I would rather do it openly and not in a hush manner or play a game with rules that bans more than half of the population from knowing it. I don’t see how we can raise awareness in this fashion.
The knowledge, the understanding, the act of solidarity is extended through talking about the issue, through sharing data, by discussing it at every level.

The campaign to begin with, does not educate us with the causes, the symptoms or the treatments of breast cancer. 

It does not encourage any of us to go or send our loved ones, for a mammogram.
The most disturbing part of it, however, is that it excludes men without realizing that, they (the Men) too are victims of Breast cancer and by barring them we are putting their lives at risk.

Whether it's research week or awareness month let’s make constructive efforts towards the cause, spread awareness to all and most importantly not bar men from it.