On May 25, a page called “Hold A Coke With Your Boobs Challenge” popped up on Facebook. It was started by Elite Talent Referral, which promotes itself as a scouting agency of sorts for the adult entertainment industry. The initial word on the internet was positive because people thought it was designed to raise money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. In a way, it was mimicking the success of last year’s Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS.
Then, someone did some sniffing around, and someone decided to ask the Breast Cancer Research Foundation if they were actually involved with this.
And, oops.
Via New York Daily News:
“It’s something millions of people suffer from every day and to trivialize it in such a blatant way is terrible.”
“It’s not in any way a part of our mission or who we are,” she said, adding some people have thought the movement was legitimate. “If people plan to be involved with a campaign it’s important they learn more about the cause they choose to support.”
For what it’s worth, the organizers of the Facebook page (one of whom is pictured above) clarified their “mission” on Monday night in a Facebook post:
OK once again just for all of our nay sayers and hatters. When we (Gemma Jaxx and Danny Frost) started #Holdacokewithyourboobschallenge, we did it as a joke. We were making fun of all these other challenges. Like the one for bigger lips and stepping on the flag. We never thought it would take off like it did. But it did. And then people started posting it was for charity and it was for breast cancer awareness. We had never plan on that nor thought of it. But since that’s what people want to do it for, we said why not do something good with this. So we went with it. Please challenge your friends to do it, They can ether do the challenge, donate to their favorite charity, or both. It’s up to them. Also to people who are saying this is insensitive to the women who have lost their breast. 1) keep in mind that when we started this, it had nothing to do for cancer, but that the people who were taking part in it wanted it to be. 2) Let’s face some real facts. Not every woman does their exams or goes and gets a mammogram. Several people are on the mind set it will never happen to me, I’m to young or old for it to happen to me, my boobs are too small… and so on and so on… So if this gets a few of those types of girls to do their check ups and prevents them from losing their breast or dyeing from breast cancer by doing something fun and goofy, does it not make it worth it? If one girl, Just one if not more, life was saved because she felt something in her breast when she did this challenge, isn’t it worth it? 3) This is not about the girls who have already lost their breast due to cancer. Yes we feel awful for you and are happy you survived, but this is about preventing girls from losing their breast in the future. This is about it doesn’t mater what age you are, your breast size, or even gender, it effects everyone. So everyone needs to do their exams so they don’t end up going through what you all did. This is about prevention, not recovery. But we do wish you the very best and a speedy recovery. We want to get to a point were women don’t have to worry about losing their breast. And we want every woman to do her exams. That’s what this challenge is about and grew into.
To be clear, this isn’t philanthropic in any way. It’s more or less a gag. You’re likely not raising money for breast cancer or breast cancer research by holding a Coke can between your boobs. Amazing that has to be spelled out. If anything, your video and photo will probably end up on someone’s website without permission. And if that’s your goal, have at it. In the meantime, here are actual cancer foundations you can donate to without popping your top:
Breast Cancer Fund
National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund
Breast Cancer Research Foundation