By Leigh Hurst
I’m constantly amused by peoples’ reactions to the word “boobies.”
Whether it’s a belly laugh from a 70-year-old woman, an enthusiastic testimonial from a breast cancer survivor, or a furrowed brow from those who blush at a mere glimpse of the word, I’m reminded that we all have different perspectives on things.
In today’s day and age, with all that we’re exposed to through the media, I personally don’t think the word “boobies” is going to cause the world to come crashing down in ruin. But then again, I’m a lover of the word “boobies.” It makes me giggle; it always has – even before I was an avid advocate for healthy “boobies”.
There are plenty of unproductive slang terms out there for female parts I didn’t even know I had. Many of these terms are vulgar or offensive, and are even defined that way in the dictionary.
However, I don’t put the word “boobies” in this category. In fact, when researching the uses of this provocative word, I learned that “boobie…is a term of endearment derived from the Yiddish term bubele, meaning baby”. Hmm, a term of endearment? Now that’s interesting.
So, you may be wondering why I’m discussing the word “boobies” in such detail.
What’s the big deal anyway? Well that’s just it…what is the big deal? I’ve learned that this word actually is a big deal to some.
Since beginning Feel Your Boobies in 2004 I’ve probably received a handful of emails from people who express concern over the use of this term. Some are embarrassed by the term, others feel it’s demeaning to women or that it’s making light of a very serious disease in an inappropriate manner.
I appreciate hearing these points of view. They remind me that my love of the word “boobies” is subjective and that my approach to breast cancer awareness may not be met by approval from all. And that’s ok. If it was, then the approach wouldn’t be unconventional I suppose – and, likely, would be less effective considering the women we target.
And so I continue to ponder this mild debate over the word “boobies.” What exactly is it that causes this controversy? Why do some people find this word to be playful and humorous while others feel it’s offensive and demeaning? I suppose the answer to that will always boil down to an individual point of view. But when it boils down to awareness vs. ignorance, talking vs. silence, tuning in vs. tuning out, and early detection vs. death, the only four-letter word that really matters is “life”…and that’s something we can all agree on.
Leigh Hurst is the founder and executive director of the Feel Your Boobies Foundation. She writes from Harrisburg.
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