Symbols and meanings in breast cancer awareness campaigns

This article examines symbols and meanings in breast cancer awarenesscampaigns, and the ways in which multifarious actors draw attention to the disease. We discusswhat the various campaigns and initiatives can indicate, above and beyond creating breast cancerawareness. Our data stem from sources such as printed material, the Internet, and events. Fromthese sources we have singled out and explored objects, text, and visual expressions, looking inparticular for metaphors and symbolic aspects. In this article we present six “images” indicatingthe underlying patterns that we found. We have called the images Re-enchantment of femininity,Infantilization, Corporate profit-making, Objectification, Transgression of boundaries, andExhibition of deviation. These are further discussed in the light of perspectives drawn from thesocial sciences and feminist theories. One of the article’s key arguments is that breast cancercampaigns, to a great extent, build upon and reinforce traditional, stereotypical gender roles.

Til publikasjon: https://doi.org/10.1080/08038740.2013.797024, https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3612458, http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/08038740.2013.797024 | Publiseringsår: 2013 | Tidsskrift: NORA - Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research