Letters to the Editor
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maybe you don't get it
>I get it, I do. They're trying to sex up breast cancer awareness, but there's just nothing sexy about cancer.
Don't be so sure you get it, Tracy. What they are trying to show as sexy are healthy breasts. Therefor, breast cancer prevention is sexy, in the same way as working out for tight abs would be.
Given that there seems to be some innate resistance in some women to checking themselves, the site also functions as a way of desensitizing prudish women to self exams. Surely if many people can upload pictures of themselves, you have no good reason to shy away from a self exam in the privacy of your home.
If you want to really prevent cancer deaths, instead of breasts you should be talking about the importance of getting screening colonoscopies. Colon cancer kills many more people than breast cancer, affects both genders, and lots of people are squeemish about having somebody stick a flexible camera up there for a look.
That said, I'm not enthusiastic about the premise of the website either. While on one hand, the site may desensitize people to the breast, by emphasizing the sexual nature it could also reinforce the basis of the prudery.