The Facebook Games

Photo courtesy of Flickr user English 106 under Creative Commons 3.0

Last week I received a Facebook message. 

This is what it said:

We are playing a game.

It was proposed that us girls do something special on Facebook to help gain awareness about Breast Cancer. It's so easy!  I'd like you to join us to make it spread!

Last year it was about writing the color of the bra you were wearing in your FB status...and it left men wondering for days why did the girls have colors (apparently random) in our status.

This year it has to do with our love relationships, in other words, for the status of your current relationship put the following drink:

Tequila: I'm a single woman

Rum: I'm a touch and go woman

Champagne: I'm an engaged woman

Red Bull: I'm a woman in a relationship

Beer: I'm a married woman

Vodka: I'm the "other woman"

Sprite: I'm a woman that can't find the right man

Whiskey: I'm a single woman with friends that won't stop partying

Liquor: I'm a woman that wishes she was single.

Gin: I'm a woman that wants to get married

Now all you need to do is write down the answer for your situation in your FB status (don't put this email, just put the drink in your status-go to your FB Wall and post it).

Also, cut and paste this message and send it to all your girl-friends as a message. The Bra Game reached the news. Lets make this one make it too .

Why does this keep happening?

First of all, changing your Facebook status doesn't do anything for breast cancer.  I don't care if it spreads like herpes.  There is no one walking this Earth unaware of breast cancer. 

Why don't you try donating money to breast cancer research?  Or volunteering with actual cancer patients? 

While I am strongly opposed to pink-washing, I would even prefer the masses go out and buy something pink than participate in something like this.

Please don't just publish a (stupid) status on Facebook and have an (undeserved) feeling of accomplishment.

Secondly, who "proposed" this?  Lindsay Lohan?  And how did Sprite finagle its way onto the alcoholic's wish list?

And this is anything but newsworthy.  So don't hold your breath.

But lastly, why must women identify themselves by their relationship status?  Or tell everyone the color of their bra?  Is there any way to talk about breast cancer without degrading or objectifying women?

A week ago, my "friends" were Tequila, Red Bull, or Gin.  But really they were single, in a relationship, or wanting to get married.  What a terrible waste of a status, when you could say so much more about yourself.

But what's more concerning are those who thought they had done "something" for breast cancer. 

Women of the Internet.  I'm begging you.  Please.  Stop being ridiculous.  Don't reduce yourself to a pair of tits or girlfriend status.  And if you want to do something-- DO SOMETHING! 

But first, you'll have to log off of Facebook.