Boycotting Susan G. Komen for the Cure over this latest dickish political move of ending their partnership with Planned Parenthood? Yeah, same here. I've been boycotting them already for awhile over previous issues.
PinkwashingCorporations whose products are unhealthy can participate in a pink ribbon campaign (e.g. KFC and their pink "Buckets for the Cure") and get people to buy their products because of a portion going to Komen, and improve their ethical standing with the public. The charity and their corporate sponsors have a sweet mutual back-washing deal... mega-donations balanced by pinkwashing and increased sales. That is par for the course, but what is a bit more disturbing are the drug controversies that have sprung up. There are quite a few in-depth articles about this, worth checking into for your own benefit or curiosity if nothing else. A few links:
Healthier Talk: Breast Cancer Deception Month: Hiding the Truth Beneath a Sea of Pink - Part I -- Part II
Mother Jones: Is Susan G. Komen Denying the BPA-Breast Cancer Link?
In These Times: Seeing Red About Thinking Pink
Pinkwashing ridiculousness: Pink Fatigue (blog)
Huge non-profit CEO salaries irk me
Although it's very common, and SGK is certainly not unique here, it makes me sick to learn that the CEO of this charity - one that rakes in money from the grassroots where people may not have much to give but they care enough to do it anyway - is paid over $450,000 per year (again, not singling them out... fyi... according to Charity Navigator, the CEO of the American Red Cross pulls in nearly $1 million per year for a salary).
Petty legal action against other charities over colors and names
Susan G. Komen For the Cure has reportedly been spending about $1 Million for year cracking down on smaller charities that use the color pink and the word "cure" in their name - even if the offending charities are not fighting breast cancer. [reference][reference] This is the first thing I heard about SGK that caused me to remove them from my list of preferred charities. The practice of a charity fighting for its 'brand' is, again, not limited to this one - but a $million a year to crack down on hundreds of small charities?
You can pink it but you can't un-stink it.
2 comments:
Hard questions need to be asked, that's for sure.
Working for a non-profit, I know how hard it is to raise money. Fortunately, we've have limited partnerships & even turned some away. You're right - it helps sanitize a questionable reputation.
Never supported Komen for one simple reason - I HATE PINK! Too girly, girly for me. As a fat child I wasn't the ribbon, ruffles, pink type and it's carried over into adulthood.
Loved the post. Check out http://skydancingblog.com/ Komen post from yesterday. Pussies & PLUBz. Love that blog.
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