In case you haven’t seen all the pink around lately, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and that’s a good thing.
Wednesday has been proclaimed “No Bra Day.” As a California TV station described it, “People are encouraged to ditch their lingerie to raise awareness about the disease, raise money for research and to support survivors.” Is that good? Let’s ask the Internet.
The hashtag #NoBraDay has been trending on social media. But it probably hasn’t produced the kind of result organizers had hoped for.
Sure, there was helpful medical advice from legitimate sources.
#NoBraDay began for breast cancer awareness.
But do bras CAUSE cancer? (Short answer: no.) http://t.co/wKkpRnbARE pic.twitter.com/sV9dANoA1z
— Columbia Surgery (@ColumbiaSurgery) October 13, 2015
A good number of people posted pictures of themselves observing the day. This is among the more tasteful.
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https://twitter.com/walkmyhalls/status/654015702035070976
But for the most part, the effort backfired pretty spectacularly, even though it has been going on annually since 2011.
A female friend posted this on Facebook:
OK I think this is kind of ridiculous! Let me tell you how I show support for breast cancer awareness month. I had my annual mammogram yesterday and I talk about awareness with others. If I didn’t wear a bra, there would be people in the hospital today!
That was tame compared to what showed up on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/Section331/status/654012521729253377
#NoBraDay does nothing for #breastcancer awareness; it's a hoax, by @LouiseRidley http://t.co/fNlec5MzuI via @HuffPostUK @CTV_AvisFavaro
— André Picard (@picardonhealth) October 13, 2015
There were, of course, the opportunistic marketers who missed the “no” part of No Bra Day.
It's national #NoBraDay y'all!! Come see our talented bra fitters at LiviRae to get a healthy fitting,… http://t.co/h6zA8KRaA4
— Double Divas (@DoubleDivasTV) October 13, 2015
Or just the opportunistic marketers who missed good taste.
Let your girls go free, and go like our @facebook #NoBraDayhttp://t.co/X74GlWh1Fg
— BS Podcast Network 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (@BSpodNetwork) October 13, 2015
Mostly, though, there was snark.
https://twitter.com/marinavstweets/status/654013945473163264
https://twitter.com/tnakk_14/status/654013424729505793
https://twitter.com/jaydedonovan/status/654004824049065984
https://twitter.com/yokalli/status/654026454317961216
And then there were the men. Maybe it should have been No Bro Day?
https://twitter.com/RealTubsy/status/654012567250186240
The answer seems to be yes.
People are using #NoBraDay to fat-shame men. This is why we can’t have nice things. http://t.co/uxX7hv0muH pic.twitter.com/srlifsy4ab
— Mic (@mic) October 13, 2015
https://twitter.com/johncenaAm/status/654020791529398274
Today is National #NoBraDay 😊 pic.twitter.com/FcyQe5MDmT
— Drunk Mode App (@DrunkModeApp) October 13, 2015
https://twitter.com/postanonpics/status/654019683662761984
It's #BreastCancerAwareness day! We believe #NoBraDay should be EVERY day, do you? sign the petition & free the bra! https://t.co/dx7FZ0IZPk
— Dick's Last Resort (@DicksaysChicago) October 13, 2015
Some people got it on second thought. Still, the damage is done.
I joked about #NoBraDay, but I just saw it's meant to promote breast cancer awareness & to help raise money for research. #nolaughingmatter
— Jim Bessman (@JimBessman) October 13, 2015
Indeed, the damage is done.
https://twitter.com/maddyxbuck/status/654027831492628480
As they like to say on the Internet, SMH.
Photo: Flickr user Steve McLaughlin
