March 22, 2014

“nomakeupselfie is the biggest load of rubbish I've ever heard."

"How does putting a selfie with no make up on support cancer?"

MORE: BBC:
Across the UK, social media timelines have been bombarded with the #nomakeupselfie hashtag. It has been used almost 15,000 times on Twitter and many thousands more on Facebook as well. So what prompted the unusual trend? Most of the pictures are accompanied by phrases like "cure cancer" and "cancer awareness" but - at least to begin with - they weren't associated with any specific goal or charity. This was not an orchestrated campaign.

Baffled by the trend, a backlash began in earnest. One confused tweeter posted: "Because not wearing make up is like... having cancer? I hope I'm missing the point here." Another said: "I don't get the #nomakeupselfie for cancer? How does it help? I'd rather donate money towards it that take a picture." Soon bloggers were entering the fray too.

Cancer Research UK says it has had more than 800,000 text donations since Wednesday - raising more than £1 million ($1.6 million).
Video at that last link has a reporter on video supposedly explaining the connection between no makeup and cancer. I've watched it, and I didn't hear an explanation. 3 things I thought of are: 1. No-makeup selfies get attention, and the women are thinking, now that I've got your attention, I'll encourage you to do something good, which is to give to a charity I like, 2. A makeup-free woman is somehow like a cancer patient, perhaps because she looks less vibrant (more sickly?), 3. A makeup-free woman is exposing the stark reality of her physical being which includes the vulnerability of the physical being to diseases such as cancer.

26 comments:

rhhardin said...

There's this from yesterday, from the weird supermarket display category.

It's next to the sport tampons.

rhhardin said...

The connection of no makeup and cancer is that chemo removes your hair, which is like no makeup.

rhhardin said...

Women look better without makeup anyway.

You can tell them apart, for one thing.

Ann Althouse said...

"The connection of no makeup and cancer is that chemo removes your hair, which is like no makeup."

Yeah, I was toying with something that as I wrote my 3 reasons. Didn't come up with a way to say that, but you did.

Renee said...

I never wear make up. Even in my selfies.

Anonymous said...

I can't read the article because the Independent site keeps putting a huge registration ad in front of it. When I click the close button, it goes to another page.

The symbolic correlation is likely with women going bald during chemo or losing a part or all of a breast (covered by your third point, but with an emphasis on feminine beauty and sexuality.)

Oh, it's sort of brave. I think it's nice that they are even bothering to participate. Anything to move beyond the pink ribbon stage is okay by me.

From what doctors say, they consider breast cancer pretty much dealt with at this point. Other types of cancer, not so much.

Archilochus said...

Breast cancer gets all the press. Unclear why prostate cancer, which is deadlier, hasn't received similar attention.

I have no quarrel with any of these campaigns, stratagems, and other forms of secular penance, but I must confess that pink bat and glove day at the ballpark goes too far.

David said...

I don't wear makeup at all, and I got cancer.

The good part is that cancer makes you sick, but not stupid. Cancer can be treated (if you are lucky) but stupid seems to elude any palliative or cure.

FleetUSA said...

I think most women don't need makeup to look attractive and many women use way too much makeup.

Anonymous said...

As far as how does it help people, the money raised for research only helps those in the future. Anyone with cancer would rather have simple health than all the awareness, money, research, or treatments in the world, but they benefit now from the attention and funding raised in the past. If a group kicks up a fuss and gets media coverage for a particular disease, things can move quickly. (AIDs being the best example.) The flip side is that advances in "less popular" or potentially profitable diseases can move relatively slowly, but breakthroughs followed by a cascade effect are still possible.

Anonymous said...

And Boobs. Save Boobies. Easy to understand.

Rob said...

#titsoutselfie Do it for the kids.

Anonymous said...

Need a Boobfie.

traditionalguy said...

Maybe it's a brain cancer empathy. No one remembers anything.

Seriously, empathy with the hurting is a gesture...like Russell Wilson and at Seattle Children's Hospital.

The Godfather said...

If only Anthony Weiner had thought to label his pictures #prostatecancer, he'd be mayor today.

And, by the way, if I still lived in NYC, I'd rather have a mayor who took pictures of his dick than a mayor who is a dick.

Dr Hubert Jackson said...

#1 seems to be what it is. I saw a rather plain looking picture of my cousin as I rapidly scanned through facebook and stopped to notice it because it stood out from the rest of the pictures. I read it saw it was for cancer and that her friend was diagnosed.

While having no makeup and having cancer aren't really related it DID draw my attention thus was a successful viral messaging in my opinion.

There is probably less in common between a lizard and having car insurance but Geico makes it work.

Stephen A. Meigs said...

What I've heard is that chemo patients are often highly susceptible to extreme nausea that can be induced by artificial smells, etc., such as those in cosmetics.

William said...

I think a high proportion of those taking these make up free selfies will be young, attractive women. It's a humble brag, and a humble brag is a form of micro aggression.

SGT Ted said...

It's just the latest narcissist fad variation of "LOOK AT ME".

SGT Ted said...

Breast cancer gets all the press. Unclear why prostate cancer, which is deadlier, hasn't received similar attention.

Because women, in the aggregate, are more selfish and self-centered.

Wince said...

The following photos are touching, if you ask me.

Giraffe bids farewell to Dutch zookeeper dying of cancer

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/giraffe-bids-farewell-dutch-zookeeper-dying-cancer-article-1.1728769

Grimstarr said...

I believe it is a follow on from the Today Show's "No Makeup Monday" segment they recently did. It was from a week themed "Love your Selfie".
The anchors took off their makeup and showed what they all look like au natural. Scare-eee. Don't take my word for it. Pictures at the link!

cubanbob said...

Grimstarr a fair comparison would be side by side shots of identical poses, hair, clothing and lighting, one with makeup and one without. Except for Natalie the woman look significantly worse in the no makeup shots. The men about the same except for Matt. He could use a good shave and a toupe.

Deirdre Mundy said...

Does the make-up include botox? Because I'm kind of amazed at how whatever they're using seems to make wrinkles disappear!

Ambrose said...

This is a goal post move. "All right girls, for the next challenge, you still have to look good, but you can't use make-up anymore, no go to it."

Donna B. said...

I've never before heard that prostate cancer is deadlier than breast cancer. For both, doesn't it depend on the subtype, grade, and other things I don't understand?

Nor have I heard that doctors consider breast cancer "pretty much dealt with".

I would say that if removal of a breast cures the cancer, that it's easier to deal with than prostate cancer cured by removing the prostate -- can't reconstruct one of those, sex becomes improbable if not impossible, and a few other not so minor difficulties.

I am really really tired of having my awareness raised. I'm so aware of all sorts of shit these days, that I can barely get my naps taken.