WHAT Do I Call Myself?

There is a fascinating sociological evolutionary arc within the cancer world.  There is either the masculine or the feminine archetypes, and now for the women it is "both/and".  Yet I am not sure if this is progress, and I am searching for a new term to self-describe.

Using Lance Armstrong as the masculine archetype, we see the adrenaline/testosterone fueled rush of the challenge to succeed in dominating his opponent, which in his mission statement for his foundation LIVESTRONG is not just about cancer.

from Pink Ribbon Blues p. 83:  "Masculine ideals encourage men to render their illnesses invisible, or heroically transform them into social capital...he paints a portrait of himself that acknowledges his cancer diagnosis and treatment while obscuring its reality beneath heroism and an almost inhuman capacity."

Breast cancer, on the other hand, has been culturally transformed into a lifestyle where everyone is/can be involved permanently.

"Warrior? Survivor? Supporter? Which One Are You?" comes from a 2007 community breast cancer walk which reflects the attitude that evereyone should be involved in a communal manner, and since warrior is mentioned first, there is the implicit bias toward that role.  What is ironic on multiple levels is that the overt values of self-empowerment have implicit cultural demands that the cancer patient submit to inhabit a specific role.  If she does not wear 5" heels to her chemotherapy, then she has violated the norm of being a "she-ro", and does not deserve to be part of the pink ribbon culture.

What is wrong with the pink ribbon campaign?  Doesn't it advocate yearly mammograms that save lives?  Actually, we find out that yearly mammograms are not saving numerous lives, although it did save mine!  And it diverts attention and funding and research from the critical areas of finding out what will prevent and cure the disease.  And some of the biggest sponsors of the pink culture are sponsors of activities that actually do show an impact on the increased chances of getting breast cancer.

p. 105:  "Playing on generational differences between the second and third feminist waves, pink ribbon culture declares women's empowerment through the use of she-roism, a homogenized version of women's advocacy coupled with mass-mediaterd consumption."

I believe that masculine archetypes play on 1 PP of the hero transcending and excluding his disease/foe in order to maintain his heroic posture of strength.
I can sense that feminine archetypes here are playing on 2 PP of an unaltered, unmaimed, humorous and lively feminine woman who submits to the communal role of the she-ro.

More on archetypes tomorrow.