What's Your Status Color?
Sam Nantz
Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: Opinion
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The inbox message simply read "Some fun is going on. Just write the color of your bra in your status. Just the color, nothing else. It will be neat to see if this will spread the wings of breast cancer awareness. It will be fun to see how long it takes before people wonder why all the girls have a color in their status." No one is aware of who exactly started this but it did not take long for the colors of women's brassieres were posted all over the internet.
The Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization was among those asked if responsible. Andrea Rader, a spokeswoman for the group who spoke to the Chicago Tribune, said it did not launch the effort but called it "a terrific tool for raising awareness."
The movement was met with its fair share of criticism with some simply refusing to join in while others called the status changes a form of "slacktivism." The new internet term is used to refer to those who want to support a cause, without actually partaking in it. Rader asked for women everywhere to not let this movement become slacktivism and go to their doctors and get a mammogram and to search their local areas for breast cancer awareness events.
Others questioned why breast cancer was the disease chosen when other life threatening illnesses are still without a cure. Many know what the pink ribbon is for, but not the puzzle ribbon, yellow ribbon or blue and pink ribbon. The puzzle is for autism, yellow is commonly associated with supporting the troops but may also be used for suicide, adoptive parents, and a general symbol for hope, and the pink and blue combination ribbon is for miscarriages, still births and infant death.
The overall message is that all awareness is good. Don't let slacktivism take over, be active, get out there and help!