“Lessons to Learn”: Constructions of Femininity in Popular Magazine Breast Health Narratives — Page 6:
26 Breast cancer also serves as a catalyst for women to change how they are living their lives. Helene Flanzbaum boldly declares: “Having breast cancer changed my life—for the better” (228). Clarification led to action for Flanzbaum who “stopped sleepwalking through my days. I started paying attention” (228). The same sentiment is echoed by Melissa Ethridge “My work, certain friends, anything that was taking life away from me, I cut out. I looked at my cancer as a metaphor. I examined my whole life to find what was cancerous, and I cut it out” (Glock 100). For these women, breast cancer, while grueling and physically difficult, was also life affirming.
27 However, this emphasis on viewing cancer as being part of an important life lesson can be a challenge for women who are not feeling positive about the experience. As Oni Faida Lampley states: “There was a ‘right’ way of having cancer, and I was doing it wrong” (164). In addition, the prevalence of narratives that reinforce positivity may inadvertently serve to blame women who ultimately succumb to breast cancer, as stated by Lynda Gorov, “as if only pessimists drop dead of disease” (128). Expecting a positive outlook in the face of disease may also be gendered. Some of the pressure put on women with breast cancer may reinforce cultural ideologies about “good women” being cheerful and not making a fuss.
Conclusion
28 New femininity as presented in breast health articles requires strength, grace, and beauty (even if the definition of beauty has to be rewritten) while dealing with breast cancer. These narratives are overwhelmingly stories of ultimate triumph (with stories of survivors outweighing stories of women who die from breast cancer). Feminist theorists of popular culture recognize that in addition to dominant ideologies media messages can also be resisted or understood in oppositional ways. So while breast-health narratives from popular magazines largely serve to support and maintain traditional gender norms, they also give voice to breast-cancer survivors. Individually and collectively these breast-health narratives present a picture of women’s lived experiences. In addition, the presence of so much information in a popular format has created social and medical change surrounding breast health. But there is still much work to be done.
29 While there currently is a great deal of public attention surrounding breast health, much of that attention has been focused on viewing breast health as an individual issue. Breast cancer has social and medical dimensions. It is important to recognize that breast health is both an individual and a societal issue. Popular narratives allow space for the inclusion of women’s lived experience with breast health, but it is crucial that a greater diversity of women be represented. Young and middle-aged white women are prominent. African American women are well-represented (in both general-audience magazines and magazines aimed at women of color). There should be increased representation of Latina, Asian American and American Indian women as well as women from other ethnic groups. In addition, there need to be more narratives from a wider range of sexual orientations; women over 50; poor women (with a critical analysis of the impact of poverty on health care); and trans-women. Specifically more narratives need to challenge traditional ideals of femininity. Increasing the range and diversity of women’s experiences represented in popular narratives of breast health would increase the potential for women’s empowerment.
Acknowledgements This research was generously supported through a grant from Grand Valley State University’s Research and Development Center in the form of a Summer Stipend and Grant-in-Aid. In addition, the author wishes to thank Dr. Kathleen Underwood for her thoughtful comments on earlier drafts of this work.