Pink: No color for breast cancer research

This rather odd looking tangle is a mixture of three tangles:  Fuse, Finery, and a new one introduced today on TanglePatterns.com called "Gnarly."  But that's not what this post is about. 

If anything in this photo looks pink, I can assure you it's not; it's an artifact of my very old camera.  There is no pink on this tangle, and here is why:

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and since I am a breast cancer survivor, I was happy to see this week's Diva Challenge #190 was in honor of her grandmother Ardath (wonderful name!), who passed away last winter from breast cancer.  The name of the challenge is "Pink for Ardath."  With utmost respect for both Ardath's memory (she sounds like a sweetie-pie) and the Diva herself, I cannot bring myself to use pink, as I have always been offended by the co-option of the Breast Cancer Reseach cause by cosmetic companies. 

Before you roll your eyes at me, please take the time to read this very short piece on the TRUE CREATOR of the breast cancer awareness ribbon, Charlotte Haley--whose ribbon, as you will find out, was originally PEACH, not pink. She was a heroine in my book.  When the cosmetic companies decided to muscle in on the popularity of her peach-colored ribbon, they were told by their lawyers (yes, really) that they couldn't use peach without violating Charlotte's copyright, but they could change it to another color in order to use the idea for their own ends.  And what other color did the cosmetic companies associate with women?  Bubblegum Pink. 

So they took Charlotte's idea and did not give her any credit, and now we have the pink ribbon we see today, and the sales of thousands of cosmetics, many of which (in the United States) actually contain cancer-causing chemicals.  Truly.  Don't get me wrong:  I love cosmetics and makeup.  But I don't want to have to make a corporation wealthier when it is implying that my purchase will fund breast cancer awareness, when in fact only a tiny amount goes to the cause.  The rest just enriches the company.

Ok, enough, or I'll go on even more of a rant here, and I don't want to do that.  If you don't believe me, view the documentary Pink Ribbons.  PLEASE.  You will change your mind.

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