Pinkwashing and the Exploitation of the Breast Cancer Community

I was diagnosed with breast cancer on September 28, 2017, just three days before Breast Cancer Awareness Month started. The flood of pink had already hit stores, billboards, commercials, and, of course, doctor’s offices.

I walked into every store, place of business, and doctor’s appointment hating the idea of seeing yet another pink ribbon, especially when I began sporting my shiny bald head and the not-so-Hollywood puffy steroid face. For me, the pink ribbon was a reminder that I had this crazy, wild, confusing, unexpected thing happening to me.

It was a reminder that I had a mountain of doctor’s appointments and procedures and surgeries ahead of me, and a sea of debt that will wash over me again and again as the years go by.

It told me that I will somehow always be connected to this pink symbol — but I didn’t want to be.

The Day I Learned the Truth

One day, while I was in the middle of treatment, I walked into the grocery store. I was exhausted from the fatigue and nausea of chemo, and I was frustrated by phone call after phone call with my insurance company and the mounting bills for my lifesaving treatments. I was determined to get out of the house and do something “normal” with my children, so I took us grocery shopping.

Walking through the store, I felt the joy of being with my kids — but there was also the excruciating bone pain from my most recent chemo treatment. As I dragged my tired body through the aisles, I prayed for extra strength.

I turned the corner to grab our last item and finish out our short trip — and there it was, on a container of yogurt my daughter had requested: the pink ribbon.

I stood there in that cold grocery store aisle and started typing into my phone, searching for an organization that this ribbon directly helped. Who was benefiting from this?

As I searched, a chill went down my spine, and it didn’t come from the refrigerators. I called the corporate office of this yogurt company and asked them about the purpose behind the pink ribbon their product was sporting. I was shocked by the reply: “We are not currently supporting or donating to any breast cancer organization, but we are creating awareness.”

Awareness? I wanted to scream. We are all painfully “aware.” Where was the action?

I wanted to throw that yogurt.

I wanted to scream.

I realized at that moment that the pink ribbon isn’t the villain. The villain is pinkwashing. Companies can legally put a pink ribbon on their products without giving a dime toward actually helping any of us suffering from this disease.

Pink Is Not the Problem

The Breasties is a nonprofit organization built by breast cancer community members for those impacted by breast cancer. They started an initiative called Pink Is Not the Problem to spread awareness about how for-profit companies are profiting off the exploitation of our community.

I jumped onboard to share this impactful campaign.

What is pinkwashing? This is how the campaign defines it:

pink • wash • ing (noun)

A marketing tactic. The exploitation of breast cancer for profit or public relations. The act of supporting the breast cancer cause or promoting a pink ribbon product while actively producing, manufacturing, or selling products linked to the disease.

Because there are no laws against slapping a pink ribbon on an item to make the public think you’re supporting a breast cancer initiative, companies can profit off your empathy and generosity without actually helping anyone.

Putting pink ribbons on products and calling it support is not the only way to pinkwash. If a for-profit company asks a breastie to share their story for free as a marketing tool at any time — but especially for Breast Cancer Awareness Month — that is also pinkwashing.

Did you know the average “giveback” from a pink product or campaign is less than 10 percent of proceeds?

Did you know a pink ribbon can be put on products that are harmful, unhealthy, toxic, or carcinogenic?

So what can we do?

Take Action

Knowledge is power. Always do your research before you donate.

• Where is the money going? Look into the company, organization, or individual, their goals, and what they give back. Ask where they are donating and how much. Ask if they are compensating breast cancer veterans for telling our stories as part of their campaigns
• Is the product safe? Do some research on the product and whether it’s safe for our bodies. Make sure it’s the kind of product you would stand behind, pink ribbon or not.
• Is it a marketing tactic? Find out what the company does before and after October. Do they support the community all throughout the year or only when it can be used in their marketing?
• What does the community need? Instead of buying something with a pink ribbon to support someone with breast cancer, consider asking the person you want to support what would be most meaningful to them at that time. (Cash and food are always helpful options.)
• Can I make a direct donation? Consider donating directly to breast cancer veterans or local breast cancer nonprofit organizations.

Now when I see a pink ribbon I feel like it represents so much more than pain and heartache. It also represents my incredible breast cancer community. It represents the resilience and bravery it takes to face this disease. It represents the countless companies, organizations, and individuals that do it right and make a difference for each of us through their donations.

I know that together we can make a huge difference by being more than just aware this October, but by moving from awareness to action.

We are so much better together, and when we know more we can advocate together and change the world.