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A one-inch thick rubber bracelet, similar to the Lance Armstrong 'Live Strong' bracelet, is creating quite a stir in some schools in the U.S. The bracelets are part of a nationwide campaign to make young people more aware of breast cancer.
The Carlsbad, Calif., based non-profit, Keep A Breast, decided the best way to increase awareness among teens was to start producing rubber bracelets. The bracelets are bright pink and have the tag line "I love boobies" in big bold letters.
The bracelets caught on quickly among kids. However, some parents and school districts aren't so sure about the message on the bracelets. Some feel the language is too sexually suggestive and some schools have implemented a boobie bracelet ban. Some schools will even suspend students if they wear the bracelets to school.
ʺWe understand that some people find 'I love boobies' offensive,ʺ said Kimmy McAtee, spokeswoman for the Keep a Breast Foundation. "Many others find it refreshing in the sea of pink ribbons. We’re really taking a positive style of communication and taking something scary and taboo and making it positive and upbeat." The intention of the non-profit organization is to raise awareness for breast cancer in a unique way, not to cause controversy or drama in schools across the country.
Despite some schools cracking down on the bracelets, students have been vocal about the novelty item on blogs and other sites such as Facebook, saying they want to wear them in support of what they believe is a good cause.
Parents' opinions are mixed, judging by postings on a variety of parenting blogs.
"While I think raising cancer awareness is important, I don't think 'boobies' is an appropriate word for school," wrote one mother.
"I am 100 percent fine with my child wearing clothing that says 'I Love Boobies'. I believe in the cause," wrote another mother.
The Fresno Unified School District does allow students to wear the bracelets. Susan Bedi, the district spokeswoman, told ABCNews.com that one principal initially confiscated about 30 of the bracelets. But after administrators learned more about them and what they represented, they decided to return them to the students and allow them to be worn. "They bring about awareness and donations to cancer research," Bedi said.
According to Keep A Breast, the bracelets sell for about $4 in stores and more than 2 million bracelets have been sold. The bracelets proclaiming love for breasts began five years ago and started becoming controversial in February as kids started wearing them to school. The buzz died down during the summer and picked back up when school started. Keep A Breast also said 100 percent of the money raised from the bracelet sales goes toward the organization's education and awareness programs.
"Schools banning it? That's crazy," says Julie Hubbell of Lewisville, Texas. Hubbell helped organize an auction and barbeque named "Boobie Q" to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Bracelet co-founder Shaney Jo Darden told The Argus Leader that the bracelets are meant to spark discussion among young people. "That's the whole idea," said Darden. "It's getting people to talk about breast cancer, it's getting people to share their feelings about how this disease has impacted their life."
Would you let your child wear a boobie bracelet?
Sources:
Associated Press, CNN, USA Today, ABC News, The Argus Leader
MC Ortega is the former publicist for the late Walter Payton, Coca-Cola and Dunkin’ Donuts. Ortega is a senior communications and messaging executive specializing in media relations, social media, program development and crisis communications. Also, Ortega is an avid traveler and international shopper. Ortega resides with her partner, Craig, dog, Fionne and extensive shoe collection. Ortega also enjoys jewelry design/production and flamenco dancing.
Would you let your child wear a boobie bracelet?
Add a Comment10 Comments
Breast Cancer has touched many in my life. Friends and relatives. My daughter and my nephew both want these bracelets. They are on their Christmas list. And I will buy them for both of them. They want them to support Breast Cancer. I'm sure a part of my nephew's motivation is the "cool" factor... however, being a top athlete as well as holding a 4.0 GPA and being at the top of his class... he doesn't really need any "token" of coolness...
I fully agree with Lynette... if it gets people (young and old) talking about Breast Cancer then what is the big deal? When I was growing up... there was no awareness among the kids... now... you'd be hard pressed to find one who's not aware... Why do you think that is???? Because of the products and promotions... even cute little bracelets, mugs, blankets, pins, t-shirts, hair bows, etc...
Boobies, breasts, tata's... who cares what they're called... SAVE THEM!!!
November 30, 2010 - 11:09amThis Comment
People need to calm down because if it says "I ♥ BOOBIES" then it doesn't mean anything and kids should wear them when ever they please because both my son and daughter wear them and they are only wearing them for breast cancer because i had breast cancer so i really think that most parents and schools really need to calm down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 26, 2010 - 5:47pm(Comment edited for language by EmpowHER moderator.)
This Comment
People just need to lighten up a bit!
October 20, 2010 - 7:35pmThis Comment
If the point is to raise awareness, I'd say these bracelets are doing just that. The idea is to get people to talk about breast cancer, advocate for and fund research, and to learn about prevention and early detection. I don't think you can honestly say the bracelet itself promotes anything but awareness. How people interpret it's message--well, clearly that is something quite different. Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with one of my kids wearing it. Maybe schools should use this as a "teaching moment" to add to the conversation rather than to stifle it. After all, statistically speaking everyone is touched by breast cancer one way or another. I say keep the conversation going.
October 19, 2010 - 1:28pmThis Comment
I have two boobie bracelets to support my friends mom and grandma that have breast cancer. In our scool they tell you to turn it inside out and if you don't they cut them off every time they tell me to turn it inside out i do and when the walk off i turn it right side again and if they do cut it i will say "Im supporting breast cancer my freinds mom and grandma have it so cut it off i don't care i know im doing the right thing."
October 18, 2010 - 2:46pmThis Comment
It seems to me that girls and women are being exploited for the cause.
October 12, 2010 - 1:46pmThis Comment
Kind of a sad reflection on our culture that breast cancer will strike so many women and in most cases it can be treated if caught early, but awareness campaigns bring even the adults down to the 7th grade level. Approximately 1.3 million women will be diagnosed with breast cancer annually worldwide, and an average of 111 women die from breast cancer every day. Next to non-melanoma skin cancers, it is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women. Regarding cancer overall in this country, enough people die that is the equivalent of three 9/11 attacks per week. But where is the great outcry?
Boobies is only a dirty word if you let it be - everyone has them, time to get over it. Besides, the kids are saying much worse things than "boobies," at school. If you really don't want the kids to wear them, the fastest way to get them to stop is if you slap one on. Then they will immediately cease being cool.
October 8, 2010 - 2:53pmThis Comment
This morning's newspaper had a two page ad for "pink" items, including pink glazed donuts from the grocery store. We aren't even in Breast Cancer Awareness Month yet, and the retailers have been hyping products since August.
You don't find these types of promotions for men's cancers at the mall or in the community. And by "these" I mean retail schemes that bring traffic into stores and typically have little to do with supporting a health cause. In my area the teen boys are flocking to the skateboard store to get the "I Love Boobies" bracelets and their passion for the bracelets has absolutely nothing to do with breast cancer support.
It truly is disturbing to find such a fixation on breasts tied to cancer in a society that already is too fixated on them. For the women who are disfigured by cancer, or who lose their breasts to cancer, the feelings of loss are only compounded.
There are a lot of cancer awareness months in the fall. If you look online you will find a wide range of websites selling awareness products. In the past six months or so the manufacturers have been raising the sleaze bar and finding more and more ways to insert words and phrases that are provocative. These things make "I Love Boobies" seem tame. Who knows where this stuff will go? I just know it does not go to helping cancer patients, and that is truly offensive.
September 8, 2010 - 5:27pmThis Comment
@Christine
September 7, 2010 - 11:04am98% of the words kids say are inappropriate, and it shows the school authorities are just power hungry when they ban the bracelets, when they could be cleaning up the language kids use. Teachers use detentions as CHILD LABOR, making the kids CLEAN. But no school official gets in trouble for it? Schools are corrupt with people who just want money, and nothing for the kids.
This Comment
In my opinion, this has little to do with the "sea of pink" as far as the kids are concerned. I suspect that the kids are more interested in the kitsch-factor of the bracelets, and the idea of being "naughty" by wearing them at school--feeling like they are getting away with something by wearing them. It's not so much that I find it offensive, it's just plain and simple inappropriate for school kids to wear them. The true test would be if they want to wear them and are so concerned about the breast health issue, then they should wear them inside out at school--the meaning is still there, but the fun-factor would be lost. It reminds me of a t-shirt I had in school that was for a nut and bolt company in town which read, "What America Needs..." and on the back it said, "Is a Quality Screw." Do you really think I was promoting the nut & bolt company? I thought it was funny, that's why I wore it. I was told by a school official that it was inappropriate, and rightfully so. Kids need direction and may resent it, but as adults we owe it to them to keep them in the lines of appropriate behavior until they are old enough to make their own decisions.
September 6, 2010 - 9:23amThis Comment