A great piece from Al Jazeera on pink fundraising. What I like about this program is not so much the information, but the way it showcases–not intentionally–the debate within the breast cancer community and among organizations. This is a big topic and the moderator, I don’t think, really appreciated that. The panel was constructed well, but with a suboptimal moderator the piece fell flat.
In this ongoing conversation there are identifiable facets:
Symbolism: the pink ribbon and its cultural significance
Feminism: the role of patriarchy in the communication and treatment of the disease, both historically and in the present
Research: how and where funds are allocated
Socioeconomic: the intersection of class/race and access to healthcare writ large
Fundraising: the ethical and legal constructs
Geopolitical: public policy decisions and the global impact of the disease
Community: access to support networks, development of those networks
Medical: Treatment, therapies, et. al.
When you see that the landscape is this vast and this complicated, you need 25 minutes just to frame the conversation.