This week, the Internet is breaking all over again (and this time, it has nothing to do with Kim K's butt balancing skills). MACMA, an Argentinian breast cancer awareness charity, has just launched their #TetasxTetas, or #ManBoobs4Boobs, campaign. In the video, MACMA discusses how female nipples are notoriously (and somewhat hypocritically) censored on many social media platforms, even ones which aim to educate about breast cancer and self-examination techniques.
This campaign is decidedly tackling two birds with one stone: first, the double standard of exposure and hyper-sexualization in social media, and secondly, the alarming rate of breast cancer diagnosis, and often fatality. According to BreastCancer.org, one in eight U.S. women will develop an invasive form of breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. To put that into perspective, that's an estimated 246,660 new diagnoses in the United States during 2016 alone.
Breast cancer is the most common type in women, and there is no doubt that early detection saves lives. According to Monica Asturizaga, MACMA advisor and diagnostic imaging specialist, studies show that in 90 percent of cases where tumors were discovered at less than one centimeter in diameter, there are significantly higher chances of total healing.
On their website, MACMA discusses that "the breasts of women, promptly nipples, are censored in some social networks, even if what they are doing is to show a breast self-examination to reduce the risk of breast cancer. But we found a pair of tits that aren't censored: those of Enrique."
So, thanks MACMA (and Enrique) for sticking it to "the man" (and to his hairy nipples, too). We can only hope that this video will help not only to tackle outdated censorship laws, but to send a shocking wake up call about the realities of breast cancer.
To help spread awareness for MACMA's campaign and proper self-screening techniques, share and tweet using the hashtag #ManBoobs4Boobs.