National No Bra Day, is observed every October 13. It is a day participating women go without bras to bring awareness to the issue of breast cancer.
Hashtag, #NoBraDay or #NationalNoBraDay is a social media movement with unclear origins, but is believed to have started in Toronto, Canada, way back in 2014 and now actively celebrated in over 30 countries of the world.
The aim of the campaign is to encourage people to carry out self-examination and get screening, while also drawing attention to the early signs, and to raise money for more breast cancer research.
Many women who have survived the condition are unable to go without bra as they need it to hold their prosthesis after surgery.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but the social media #NoBraDay October 13 campaign is intended to set aside the day to remind women of the huge importance of screening, as early detection is key to surviving the disease.
Women who do not want to go bra-less may just wear purple for the day to get involved.
How to observe the day
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Make an appointment for a mammogram.
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Use #NoBraDay or #NationalNoBraDay when posting anything on social media today.
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Donate to any cancer research organization.
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Reach out to breast cancer patients in need, and to survivors to hear and learn from their story, and increase awareness.
Since today, the social media has been abuzz with imagery and comments in support of the campaign, from the sobering to the downright comic.
For example, Chinonso, @OforbuikeCN tweeted.
I use this medium to say RIP to two of my aunt's whom we lost to breast cancer. We the living shall use the #NoBraDay campaign to share the message of breast cancer awareness.
It is #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth, always check for signs of irregular lumps, and see a specialist. pic.twitter.com/NmqmcpIzIA— Chinonso (@OforbuikeCN) October 13, 2018
“Yes, it’s no bra day today! Ladies, remember it’s important to get your mammograms done. Do the monthly self breast examination. Don’t take things lightly. Mammograms hurt a little but definitely it is bearable. Early detention can save you from lots of pain.”
#NoBraDay: "Yes, it's no bra day today! Ladies, remember it's important to get your mammograms done. Do the monthly self breast examination. Don't take things lightly. Mammograms hurt a little but
definitely it is bearable. Early detention can save you from lots of pain." pic.twitter.com/7mEPhAS4jO— Nana Yaa Antwi Agyei (@NanaYaaAntwiAg1) October 13, 2018
And to the downright satirical…
In honour of #NoBraDay I will be teaching 20 boys how to prevent their women from breast cancer.
Course Outline:
– How to unhook bra in 1.5 seconds
– The Art of Breast fondling
– Sucking Breast well
– How to differentiate between lumps & 'koko'Venue: Eko Hotel
Gate fee: Free!— Uche Onwuemeli (@UchennaNG) October 13, 2018
However, over the years the #NoBraDay has become the subject of some controversy, as some people feel it is disrespectful to those who already don’t wear bras due to having had a mastectomy. Others argue the campaign ‘sexualizes‘ the condition.
One person posted:
“How does #NoBraDay ensure people actually take preventative measures like yearly mammograms? It doesn’t. Stop sexualizing breast cancer.”
Someone else posted a photo revealing double mastectomy scars, writing: “If #NoBraDay was REALLY about breast cancer awareness, every tweet would have a pic like this, not topless selfies.”
What do you think? Let’s start a conversation below.
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