Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Spain

With my mother being a survivor of breast cancer, I am particularly attentive to the media during October, breast cancer awareness month. Normally during this time at home, I would be doing fundraising walks with my mother, or going to charity functions with her to support a fight for the cure. I was very interesed to see how the issue of breast cancer affects the Spanish, and the ways they go about publicizing for a cure and support.

As I was watching the news (el sexto) with my señora the other night, I came across a few spots for the cause. There was one commerical of a group of women speaking about the disease, all having their heads wrapped in a light pink scarf, representing the breast cancer awareness ribbon color. At the end of the commercial, they all took their scarves off to reveal what little hair they had left from the chemotherapy, but wearing it proudly. It made me happy to see that this cause is advocated for pretty universally. We have almost identical commericials and spots in the U.S. It was also interesting to see that even here, the issue still holds much attention in the media.


Shortly after this commerical ended, the news came back with a reporter present in a doctor's office. He began to describe current health care initiatives and efforts toward scanning women for breast cancer, nearest clinics, new fundraisers etc. Soon after speaking, the camera started to pan to the left, leaving the reporter in the right foreground. In the background was clearly depicted a woman in the middle of her doctor's appointment, getting a mammogram, full frontal to the camera. Also clearly depicted, were her naked breasts.

By now, it's no surprise that this is a surprise! I have become somewhat more adapted with the liberalness of nudity in the media in Spain, however this just did not sit well with me. I told my mother about it and she seemed appauled that something like that would be exploited, and found it inappropriate to be so freely showing nudity, during a very serious procedure. I myself wasn't aware any woman would want to be filmed while this was going on anyway! In the U.S., while you may see a woman on a broadcast sitting in a doctor's office prepping, they would never show the procedure itself with the woman being naked. To me, this would be similar to showing a man being examined "down there," which I have also yet to see in Spain on live television. It puzzles me a little why this is acceptable, but I guess I'm still suffering a little culture shock!