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So last month was Breast Cancer Awareness month. And while I know that a lot of my friends have personal stakes in this battle, and while most people know that this is an important issue to me, I also wound up seeing a lot of griping about the fact that yes, people are aware already, and why is this more important than any other health problem, and why can't I even buy toothpaste anymore without there being a pink ribbon on it?
And I've struggled with trying to put words to why it does matter so much, to me, at least, until today. There are other health problems that have hit me and my loved ones just as hard - I've lost friends and family members to pancreatic cancer, and heart disease, and diabetes, and dementia. And yes, I've jokingly referred to Susan G. Komen as the Pink Illuminati; they're freaking everywhere and they have their fingers in everything. But I don't mind, because it matters.
Breast cancer, for the most part, is a women's issue. Yes, there are men who get breast cancer, just like there are men who are rape survivors, but the vast and overwhelming majority of people who have to deal with it are women. And there are so many other women's issues in our world today - problems that we have to face just because we are women, that others don't understand, or discredit, or downplay - and almost all of those are intangible, and outside of our capacity to solve, that when one problem shows up that *can* be solved, it becomes in some ways a stand-in for all those other problems.
We will never be able to come up with a vaccine that prevents or protects against rape.
We will never find the gene that codes for salary discrepancy or sexual discrimination.
We will never develop a drug regimen that will cure the damage done to young girls by negative stereotyping in the media.
I'm not saying that we are powerless against these problems; far from it. As women, we can be good examples in our fields, and for our sisters and daughters and friends. We can stand up against discrimination, point out when it happens and refuse to let it go unchallenged. We can do our best to teach our sons and brothers and other men in our life that it is wrong to abuse women, and show them how to be good people. But ultimately, we cannot cure these problems ourselves because the action is out of our hands. Ultimately, it is the man's decision whether or not to rape, whether or not to harass, whether or not to discriminate. All we can do is teach, and speak out, and hope that we have helped them make the right decision.
Breast cancer, though, is a real, physical problem, and potentially one that we can fix ourselves, without having to depend on anyone else's decisions or actions. It's yet another problem that we as women have to face, and this is one that we can beat. Our efforts and actions have already shown measurable, tangible results. Genetic markers have been found that can flag people at higher risk. Tumors are being detected earlier. New treatments are more effective. Already, survival times are years past what they were ten years ago.
When all of your bullies are nebulous, or outside your reach, having one where you can land a solid fist to its gut becomes more overwhelmingly powerful and positive than I can put into words. As long as there are human beings, there will be assholes, and as long as there are assholes there will probably be rape and discrimination. But by my actions, and by those of millions of other women and the men who love and care about them, I can help make it so someday there will be one less problem facing my nieces and grandnieces, and the daughters of my friends.
So. That's why I buy yogurt with pink lids, and wear a button on my lab coat, and hit up my friends for donations, and walk myself into blisters and hospital stays. Because of my friends and my family who fought, but also because there are so many other fights that I can't win myself.
And I've struggled with trying to put words to why it does matter so much, to me, at least, until today. There are other health problems that have hit me and my loved ones just as hard - I've lost friends and family members to pancreatic cancer, and heart disease, and diabetes, and dementia. And yes, I've jokingly referred to Susan G. Komen as the Pink Illuminati; they're freaking everywhere and they have their fingers in everything. But I don't mind, because it matters.
Breast cancer, for the most part, is a women's issue. Yes, there are men who get breast cancer, just like there are men who are rape survivors, but the vast and overwhelming majority of people who have to deal with it are women. And there are so many other women's issues in our world today - problems that we have to face just because we are women, that others don't understand, or discredit, or downplay - and almost all of those are intangible, and outside of our capacity to solve, that when one problem shows up that *can* be solved, it becomes in some ways a stand-in for all those other problems.
We will never be able to come up with a vaccine that prevents or protects against rape.
We will never find the gene that codes for salary discrepancy or sexual discrimination.
We will never develop a drug regimen that will cure the damage done to young girls by negative stereotyping in the media.
I'm not saying that we are powerless against these problems; far from it. As women, we can be good examples in our fields, and for our sisters and daughters and friends. We can stand up against discrimination, point out when it happens and refuse to let it go unchallenged. We can do our best to teach our sons and brothers and other men in our life that it is wrong to abuse women, and show them how to be good people. But ultimately, we cannot cure these problems ourselves because the action is out of our hands. Ultimately, it is the man's decision whether or not to rape, whether or not to harass, whether or not to discriminate. All we can do is teach, and speak out, and hope that we have helped them make the right decision.
Breast cancer, though, is a real, physical problem, and potentially one that we can fix ourselves, without having to depend on anyone else's decisions or actions. It's yet another problem that we as women have to face, and this is one that we can beat. Our efforts and actions have already shown measurable, tangible results. Genetic markers have been found that can flag people at higher risk. Tumors are being detected earlier. New treatments are more effective. Already, survival times are years past what they were ten years ago.
When all of your bullies are nebulous, or outside your reach, having one where you can land a solid fist to its gut becomes more overwhelmingly powerful and positive than I can put into words. As long as there are human beings, there will be assholes, and as long as there are assholes there will probably be rape and discrimination. But by my actions, and by those of millions of other women and the men who love and care about them, I can help make it so someday there will be one less problem facing my nieces and grandnieces, and the daughters of my friends.
So. That's why I buy yogurt with pink lids, and wear a button on my lab coat, and hit up my friends for donations, and walk myself into blisters and hospital stays. Because of my friends and my family who fought, but also because there are so many other fights that I can't win myself.
