'I Love Boobies' Breast Cancer Awareness Bracelets Banned in Washington State High School

by Beth Cooney Fitzpatrick (Subscribe to Beth Cooney Fitzpatrick's posts)
Posted May 13th 2010 at 10:55AM

i love boobies keep a breast bracelets breast cancer awareness

Keep-A-Breast 1 Inch I Love Boobies Bracelets, $3.99 each. Photo: LoserKids.com

A California breast cancer awareness foundation's provocative "I Love Boobies" bracelets have caused an uproar at yet another West Coast high school.

The Klahowya Secondary School in Silverdale, Wash., has asked students who insist on wearing the "I Love Boobies. Keep a Breast" wristbands to turn them inside out.

Principal Ryan Stevens told the Kitsap Sun that the "boobies" reference was causing problems in classrooms as it provoked some students to make inappropriate gestures and comments, the AP reports.

We can just hear the Beavis & Butt-Head-style guffaws coming from boys chanting "boobies" in the school hallways.

Stevens said the bracelets -- intended to promote breast cancer awareness -- were also offensive to some faculty members who were breast cancer survivors.

And this isn't the first time boobies have caused controversy in school. Back in January, the same bracelets created discord at a secondary school in Santa Clara, Calif., which banned them for similar reasons.

The "boobies" accessories, which retail for $3.99 and come in a variety of colors, are sold by the Keep a Breast foundation, a California nonprofit whose target audience is teens.

Its Web site features a hard rock soundtrack along with stories promoting breast cancer awareness and prevention. Topics such as parabens in cosmetics, toxins in diets, and early detection are discussed on the site.

Some altruistic teens are pictured with their breast cancer survivor moms and grandmothers, telling their personal stories.

After the bracelets were banned in California, the organization posted a response on its Web site: "We fully understand that [the] I Love Boobies Campaign is not for everyone; however we feel that boobies is not a four-letter word."

Some of the Washington high school students objected that their First Amendment rights were in peril and insist that their intentions were pure.

StyleList is betting the Silverdale administrators are glad the students haven't started scooping up the charity's "I Love Boobies" T-shirts for prom-night attire.

Meanwhile, read how Tommy Hilfiger is doing his part to raise breast cancer awareness.

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Filed under: News
Tags: bans, boobies, bracelets, breast cancer, breast cancer awareness, dress codes, high school, I love boobies, keep a breast, Klahowya Secondary Schoo, teen fashion

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READER COMMENTS

(87)Add A Comment

richard nicoletti, 5-17-2010, 6:12AM

Another serious subject turned into a sexual joke. Sign of our sick times. Pathetic.

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Simzee, 5-17-2010, 6:14AM

Americans are sexually STUPID. They LOVE boobies but will NEVER admit it. How STUPID.

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Donna, 5-17-2010, 9:06AM

Not sure where YOU come from, but they obviously raise STUPID people there.

Peg, 5-17-2010, 6:25AM

Please people, this is a serious subject, nothing to joke about! Kids think it's funny......just wait till you, your mother or someone close to you gets this awful disease, then you'll realise. Lets hope it's not too late!!!

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t, 5-17-2010, 10:36AM

I have. My mother died because of breast cancer that was not caught in time, as did other family members. I received diagnosis in time, and have responded well to treatment so far.

I say Kudos to anyone who can raise awareness in some way, at least get people talking. I have a T-shirt that says love boobies. I wear it a lot. Stop me in the mall and tell me I am being insensitive. Please. If you have such issues, you may want to seek counseling - you should have counseling during and after such an ordeal anyway.

Get a Grip!!

Roberta, 5-17-2010, 6:28AM

Instead of banning the issue why not confront it. Educate the students on breast cancer. Show films of women undergoing treatment and even haveing their breast removed. Have women come talk to the students about their breast cancer ordeal. Let them know breast cancer is not a joking matter.
I do believe the company could of came up with a better name tho, but men can also get breast cancer. Male breast cancer is less heard of. These young people need to be aware of not only breast cancer but all cancers. Thats whats wrong with this country they rather avoid the issue than to face and deal with it.

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sonnieC, 5-17-2010, 6:29AM

Must be the Bible Thumpers that are complaining.

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aboona joe, 5-17-2010, 7:21AM

My condolences to your family: you are one REAL boob!

American, 5-17-2010, 11:24AM

and you must be a reall jackass

George, 5-17-2010, 11:10AM

Exactly what are Bible Thumpers?

Wyatt Earp, 5-17-2010, 6:40AM

Come on !! This is not the time or place for such things to be displayed. Moral issues and education do not mix and never will. You pitch a fit about sex education and worry about a wrist band? Get real. Somethings JUST DON'T BELONG IN SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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John, 5-17-2010, 8:52AM

Wyatt,

You have got to be kidding! Moral issues and education absolutely DO mix. So do politics and education, and all the rest.

Look how the country has gone down since we stopped teaching morals and ethics in schools.

Barbara, 5-17-2010, 7:14AM

Im no Bible thumper, but the first time I heard them announce they were using " I love boobies" as their slogan I found it offensive and distasteful. What did they think was going to happen with a slogan like that?

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jwestgate02715, 5-17-2010, 7:17AM

It's immature and offensive. What the hell where they thinking??? That slogan belongs in strip clubs or on a goofy frat boy's t-shirt that he does NOT bring home for his Mother to wash.

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cami, 5-17-2010, 7:21AM

What about the braclet for testicular cancer?

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Nuts, 5-17-2010, 11:18AM

Do they say, "I love nuts"? Or do they have one yet?

abtru, 5-17-2010, 7:35AM

My grandmother is dying of breast cancer and my mother was diagnosed 15 yrs ago and is now in remission. I can understand why some people may find these bracelets offensive abd over-sexualized but it is getting people talking and more aware of the issue of breast cancer which is always a good thing. On top of that don't we all love boobies(our own or somebody elses)

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Donna, 5-17-2010, 9:15AM

People are fully aware of breast cancer. I we need a reminder to talk about it, a tasteful reminder, that takes the subject seriously, would be much more fitting.
I love boobies? I'm thinking "Oh I must remember to take this seriously and do my breast exam" isn't a first response. (or second, or third response.) It's not what these are about.

Bev, 5-17-2010, 7:55AM

The idea of this bracelet is a very good. The fact that it says I love boobies cheapens the whole idea of what the bracelet stands for. I don't think it was the bracelet that was band but the fact they were making a sexual issue out of it instead of what it was originally intended

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