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WJLA/ABC7 aired the first half of a four-part series on self-breast exams last night, and, as been noted all over the place, they showed 28-year-old Lauren Albright of Northern Virginia giving herself a full exam without blurring her breasts at all. Video of the first half of the report is embedded above, which does indeed include both close-up and medium shots of Albright's breasts, so consider yourself warned if you are hesitant to watch it at work.
The idea here is obviously that demonstrating how to do self-breast exams in a clear and precise manner could help save lives. But of course, it's also the start of the fall sweeps period, so the station is catching some heat for the appearance of showing naked boobs just to get ratings.
I was all set to defend the local news station for helping remind women how to do self-breast exams, but then I read this passage in the Washington Post's coverage of this story.
The effectiveness of self-exams as an early cancer-detection method, however, has been questioned in recent years. The National Breast Cancer Coalition says medical studies suggest that the exams are not useful and can lead to "elevated anxiety, more frequent physician visits and unnecessary biopsies of benign lumps."
The American Cancer Society says self-exams play only "a small role" in finding breast cancer. On its Web site, the society says "it's okay not to do [a self examination] or not to do it on a fixed schedule."
As someone who's been giving herself regular self exams every month since she was 14, this seems like the biggest piece of news to come out of this whole bare breast controversy. It's perfectly fine to show breasts in a clinical setting on the 11 o'clock news, but if self-exams are being rethought by the medical community, I'd be much more interested in seeing that story.
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HEY PETER! MAN! CHECK OUT CHANNEL NINE!
IT'S THE BREAST EXAM! WOOO!
Dammit, Lawrence, can't you just pretend like we can't hear each other through the wall?
I look forward to their story on testicular cancer. Complete with an in depth demonstration on how to do self exams.
Equal time! Equal time!
Oh boy, here we go.
I disagree with that "new" reasoning. Part of the reason that women are encouraged to perform monthly self breast exams is so that they will know what the shape and density of their breasts is, and in knowing, will know when something is amiss.
I'll give them that frequent self exams might lead to "elevated anxiety, more frequent physician visits..." but as someone who was in that exact situation, I felt stupid not knowing what my breast should feel like, and quite relieved that it was nothing at all.
Part of the problem is that our society (in direct response to our health care models), does not encourage PREVENTATIVE medicine, rather REACTIVE.
And when is the FCC going to get the eff over it. They're BOOBS for christs sake.
Honestly, is it a news organization's job to educate women on how to perform breast exams?? The answer is NO. End of story. My doctor does not give me the 11 o'clock news update and WJLA should stick to reporting the news or simply kiss my ass.
How is it any less news than anything else reported?
Less news than, say, the two NASA agents inducted into their own hall of fame? Or a private donation of marble to Arlington Cemetery? Or a house fire that did not spread to other homes, was not the result of the crime, and did not disrupt traffic flow or utilities or the lives of anyone except the family that lived there?
The purpose of all news reports is to inform the public about something. There is no rule that the information has to be equally valuable to all members of the audience (if that were the case, the entire sports segment would not exist).
My point is that news agencies shouldn't educate women on inserting tampons or taping a kotex to their underwear by way of videos. Performing blowjobs ... maybe!
This is from Lisa de Moraes (Post chat this afternoon)...
Lisa de Moraes: ... In case you missed it, Washington's ABC station, which I hasten to mention is NOT owned by ABC or its parent Disney, is running a two part special in its newscast, showing women how to examine their breasts using an, um, actual breast. The station's general manager insists it's a public service and it's just one of those INCREDIBLE coincidences that the start of the special coincided with the start of the November sweep ratings race. Is it any wonder why I love covering television....
My mom found her cancerous lump from a self exam. And while she didn't learn how to do via the news, if she hadn't found it as early as she had, the situation could have been much worse.
As we all know people in this country do not have equal access to health care, so I say, props to WJLA. Whether they aired this report for ratings or because they are actually concerned, it doesn't matter to me because it provided necessary information to people who may not have other ways to access it.
When will we grow the F$8k up as a country. I bet more people watch the news regularly than go to the GYN and have an MD, midwife or nurse practitioner perform an exam. I know several women who found masses in their breasts through self exam. They were lucky. I know someone who died of breast cancer at the ripe age of 42 leaving behind 3 young kids. If this saves 1 life or 10 it is worth it. Men get breast cancer too and should be aware of how to examine themselves. Breasts serve a biological function they are not something sexual in this context.
pfff... when they show a man checking his unpixelated nuts for lumps, THEN i'll be impressed.
I'll be amused when they do that. I'll be impressed when they show a man checking his prostate for whatever you check a prostate for.
I don't see what the big deal is. Under DC law, women (and men, for that matter) aren't required to cover up breasts in public, so I don't see the harm in showing them on TV.
I really applaud both WJLA/ABC7 and especially Lauren Albright for making this very important video. I think its high time we all started acting like and being treated as adults. Thank everyone involved for taking us to a more productive and mature level. I noticed the world did not end when a nude breast was shown on TV.
Yeah, it's sweeps. It's also breast cancer awareness month. Admittedly, there are only two or three days when the two align. But still.
I saw the report, and there was nothing remotely sexual about it, in the least.
If a report about breast cancer gets this kind of response, then we're much farther from where we need to be as a society dealing with breast cancer. This just furthers the idea that it's something we shouldn't talk about, something we should sweep under the rug and keep private. Then when we keep it private, not only do victims feel ashamed about it, but women are less likely to check for it, know what to look for or even to approach their doctor if they're worried.
We freak out about seeing breasts, but we're good with showing murders as prime-time entertainment.
Keep those family values strong, America.
The women of Gotopless.org would like to congratulate the entire staff of WJLA who has worked on the “touch of life” story. This topic is close to our hearts and we are glad that a news station has ignored the conservative minority and showed the entire female breasts during a breast exam. Indeed, this story is helping their ratings, but don't ALL media try to do that all the time? This news segment is medical and educational and even shakes the puritanical chord of some Americans, sparking the debate, once again, of the decency of a female breast in public! Healthy all around! WJLA has REALLY earned its ratings with this story!!!
… a word about the decency of women’s breasts in public, (for medical purpose or not) – it maybe a debatable issue in some circles but the US Constitution unequivocally protects gender equality. That means that if a man’s chest is allowed in public, a woman’s must be too. Sooner or later, state laws will have to change their unconstitutional legislature to reflect the ultimate law of the land: the US Constitution. We may kick and we may scream but that reality is coming. Like women’s right to vote, the end of segregation earlier in our history, a woman’s chest in public is constitutional and will be honored. Note that several states already acknowledge top freedom to all citizens, like the great state of NY. and yes! the District of Columbia! Go to http://www.gotopless.org for more on these legal issues and join us on the next national GoTopless day, on August 22, 2010, in honor of Women’s Equality Day voted by Congress in 1971 and officially celebrated on Aug 26 each year.
Fine sentiment--except women do not have constitutional rights to do anything that a man does. Perhaps you didn't notice, but the Equal Rights Amendment was never ratified.