So I was in the doctors again today, and a basket of bright orange wristbands caught my eye. They are the generic now popular "for a cause" bands, in hot convict orange, with a little business card (again orange) stapled around them. UBC has a suicide prevention campaign going. The poster graphic on the card has two cute anthropomorpic figures forming a gentle arch with their arms. One labelled "help" and the other "hope". The back of course has the standard list of phone numbers. The band itself has inwards-embossed block letters that read "Reach Out" and "1-800-SUICIDE".
I'm thinking of wearing it. I know there are people out there, and I don't want them to be ashamed. I want them to know that they're not alone. I guess it's the advocate in me, because I see a silent stigmatization making a minority suffer even more. how can I say anything else? Suicide Awareness is a worthy cause in my mind, right up there with breast cancer.
But then I really don't like drawing attention to myself. On the other hand though, can I even resist wearing something so pretty? I DO love bright orange so. ^_-
I'm thinking of wearing it. I know there are people out there, and I don't want them to be ashamed. I want them to know that they're not alone. I guess it's the advocate in me, because I see a silent stigmatization making a minority suffer even more. how can I say anything else? Suicide Awareness is a worthy cause in my mind, right up there with breast cancer.
But then I really don't like drawing attention to myself. On the other hand though, can I even resist wearing something so pretty? I DO love bright orange so. ^_-
Prison Orange is the New Black!
I've seen people wearing all kinds of colours and honestly I can't read any of the writing at a distance.
Personally, I'll just be glad when the trend is over. I don't have a problem with charities using to raise money and awareness, but I never understood the need to accessorize for a cause.
There's a great scene in the pilot episode of SLIDERS when Rembrant "Cryin' Man" Brown is going to perform the national anthem at a baseball game. As he's getting dressed he admires his jacket in the mirror that is festooned with those little ribbons for various causes that were popular back then in the mid-1990s. He makes some wise-ass comment about how he's got all the bases covered.
That's what bothers me about those kind of trends. It becomes one of those social status things about what causes you support. Sorry to be off on a rant in your journal. I should save these things for my journal.
Re: Prison Orange is the New Black!
I saw some of the same types of bracelets for sale in the teeny-bopper fashion accessory store and THAT made me sick. The bracelets had become social status without any cause!
Other than that, I guess I don't understand social status in causes one supports. Are you saying that people try to milk coolness out of it, so anyone without say a breast cancer band is "less cool"?
Even then, I think/hope that the good out weighs bad, just to get these concerns out enough that one can say "breast cancer" and not get either stigmatized or told that no one cares.
And by all means rant away. I didn't get any nasty vibe residue off you, and you didn't swear. Also you pointed out things I hadn't thought of. What more can I ask for? ^_^