- Share This Post
- submit
- 5
-
Sparkle (0)
There has been a creative upswell lately among my regular blog reads. It seems that BlogHers everywhere have been expressing themselves through various crafts, design, and visual arts.
But there's one new project that hits me with a double whammy, challenging traditional cancer awareness programs and serving as an outlet for amazing creativity all at once. Rebel1in8, a photography/clothing/jewelry site dedicated to refocusing breast cancer awareness from the shallow "save the boob" campaigns and pedantic pink ribbons, uses the creative vision of Jacqueline Skaggs to draw the focus back to the woman behind the breasts.
Here's more about the project, in Jacqueline's own words:
Rebel1in8 is a rebellion against the social and political side effects and fears of breast cancer. Represented here are the realities of breast cancer that transcend the pink fight and treasure hunt mentality of cure-research while confronting the social thorns that attempt to penetrate and exploit our physicality in the world.
Opposed to traditional solutions such as reconstruction or a prothesis I desire to be in the world on my own terms. I believe it is important for every woman to ask herself "what would I do if faced with a breast cancer diagnoses?" Often, and with the weight of this medical crisis on her shoulders, there is very little time in between diagnoses and an appointment with a surgeon. A woman is forced to explore her mortality and the complex structure of her feminine identity- both how it is defined by her own terms and with clarity- how it is defined by the transparent world we live in. It is here in these fragile spinning moments where so many women are psychologically corralled immediately into a plastic surgeons office by the arrogant assumptions of the institution that the patient's main concern is to LOOK normal despite her personal ideologies that surround her body. It is my hope that every woman in this position is able to make decisions that are based on knowledge and integrity rather than fear, lack of support and insecurities.
I have spoken out against breast cancer awareness campaigns before--I just couldn't get behind the cutesy boob slogans, the sexualized photo campaigns disguised as informative statements, and large corporations using the pink ribbon as a way to market their own product while appearing altruistic to the general public.
But this, this is a cause that I can get behind. It's time to move the public focus on breast cancer away from the boobs and back to the women that they're attached to.
