I am going to lose some friends here, but I don’t care.
Chris, a coworker, posted on Facebook that he didn’t care what color women’s bras were… Sort of a random comment from him (some people I know could say that and I wouldn’t have raised an eyebrow) so I figured that he was up to something. Evidently women are doing it to support breast cancer.
If you want to post your bra color, fine. Go crazy. But don’t pretend it support breast cancer. Stop it. In no way does it support or raise awareness (at least by itself). Stop thinking that simply wearing a plastic bracelet means you support a cause. Or that turning your twitter icon green is going to free Iran from tyranny. Or having a flag makes you more patriotic than someone, or support the troops more (paying taxes isn’t the same as charity, even though it feels like it). Or that having a ribbon on your car to support any number of causes is making a difference… STOP IT. There are two ways to support a cause: time and money. Sure, the LIVEstrong campaign was amazingly successful (raised a ton of money $1 at a time), but now every single organization wants to have a bracelet.
The issue is that we want to make a difference without having to do the work or make the sacrifice. We are no different than kids getting trophies for finishing last. We want to feel good. Supporting a cause feels good, just like winning (or being given) a trophy does. You want to wear the bracelet? Have the ribbon on your car? Post your bra color? DO SOMETHING. And maybe you do. I usually wear a white bracelet for the ONE organization, but this is an organization I support in ways beyond wearing a bracelet. Many people have causes they support. Keep it up. Donate your time. Become a big through Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Being a big has been amazing and there is a HUGE waiting list, especially for boys, to find matches. Maybe you can’t commit time that consistently. Find something. Anything. You have time. You have a few extra bucks. You do. You might not think you do, but you do. You can make that time. I promise that the feeling you get posting your bra color is nothing compared to the feeling you get when you actually truly make a difference.
Maybe the bra thing is just fun for people (I don’t wear a bra so I don’t know if it would be fun to share information about it), and if it is that is fun. Just don’t pretend you are supporting anything (that is almost a joke) by sharing it. I wish every single person that posted their bra color would go a cancer site (doesn’t have to be breast cancer, they get most of the love) and donate a few bucks. That is making a difference.
(Lynn I apologize for typos, I didn’t really proofread today either).