Exotic dancers' 'stigma' too much for charity
Last Updated: Thursday, February 8, 2007 | 11:22 AM PT
CBC News
The Breast Cancer Society of Canada has rejected the offer of thousands of dollars from a fundraising group of exotic dancers in Vancouver.
Exotic Dancers for Cancer holds an annual charity event in memory of a former dancer who lost her life to the disease.
Last year, the event raised $6,000.
However, former dancer Trina Ricketts said the society sent her an e-mail declining the money this year, because its major donors did not support a connection to exotic dancers.
She says the society has taken the group's contributions in the past.
"I really feel that it's a strong indication of the degree of the stigma that exotic dancers experience when an organization doesn't even want to be associated with them for fear of experiencing the same stigma."
Ricketts said her group is still looking for a cancer charity that will accept a donation.
The annual event will be held next month at a downtown hotel.
8 comments:
I think it is crazy to say no to anyone who offers sincere help. Cancer is the great leveler -- it sure doesn't ask what our jobs are before it makes itself known ...
--Mata H (cancer survivor - uterine, 1983)
Let's remind the moral majority that the money was raised by the husbands, sons, fathers and brothers of those with mothers, sisters, aunts, grannies and daughters.
how puny, how small, how far will some people go to denigrate certain taxpayers?
they should remember that some sects of religion think that disease is brought upon a person by some God.
Well, the next time you lose a mother, sister, aunt, daughter or grandmother to breast cancer spare a thought for some good-hearted strippers with breasts.
Would they accept the money if it came from male strippers, or a bunch on snow-goose nude-beachers?
This society better not be taking one red cent from the Canadian government. Otherwise, Clement and Oda have some 'splaining to do...
Just more proof of how hypocritical it all is. It seems that the donors' egos are put before the needs of the charity's recipients. What about weapons manufacturers? Are they allowed to donate money? What's the moral compass pointing to there?
I've been working up a good head of steam over this issue this morning, but I'm still down a pint of coffee or so, so it's slow in venting. :-)
I think that the strippers would be better served to start a medical fund for themselves, and the hell with the cancer society.
I don't know why - I'm saddened by this not angry... Here are some people trying to do a good thing on honor of their friend and someone rejects it.
Well, I think that's rubbish - noone should sniff at donations and given that they're donating it in memory of someone who had the disease is a total slap.
Besides, I think exotic dance has an odd aptness. I used to have a body that allowed me to feel sexy, that allowed me to express and to be an attractive woman and now I don't. Here is an industry that deals in society's perceptions of the human body and I'm sorry, but breast cancer stikes at the heart of a woman's sexuality.
I say a great big 'boooooo' to the Breast Cancer Society - shame on you!
Women can be very cruel to other women. I've seen this in many contexts and sometimes, wrongly, under the banner of "feminism", a movement that deserves far better.
SSW
Good grief! This disease sucks, we need a cure, we always need money for a cure, so please, let's turn down money from a source we may not always deem as "acceptable". I don't care if the money comes from prostitutes or former bank robbers; if it puts us closer to a cure, I'm all over that!
Breast Cancer society
Common Breast Cancer Myths
The first myth pertaining to this disease is that it only affects women.
Second myth that is associated with this disease is that if one has found a lump during an examination, it is cancer.
Third is that it is solely hereditary
The next myth associated with breast cancer is downright ridiculous. Would you believe, that in this day and age, some individuals still think that breast cancer is contagious?
Conversely, some individuals foolishly believe that breast size determines whether or not one gets cancer.
Finally, another myth that is associated with this disease is that it only affects older people. This is not so. Although the chance of getting breast cancer increases with age, women as young as 18 have been diagnosed with the disease.
You can find a number of helpful informative articles on Breast Cancer society at breast-cancer1.com
Breast Cancer society
Post a Comment