Let's start talking

So this morning I got really annoyed about the #NoMakeUp selfies that are doing the rounds.

And I posted my annoyance plus a picture of my boobs on Facebook, Instagram and twitter, nipples covered to keep preserve modesty (and to keep within photo guidelines).

My thoughts how is posting a picture of your face without make up making you think about your boobs and breast cancer?

So how about this message fondle your boobs, play with them, get to know them. Both women and men, because yes breast cancer affects men as well.

Donate some money if you want, but I think the stronger message should be don't be afraid of your boobs and learning about them, if you don't really know your boobs then how can you really spot if something has changed. So come on fondle those breast and what's more don't be embarrassed. And yes those are my boobs and I am proud that I know them.

I got messages of support, it seems I am not the only one that's fed up with the current trend.

But then I also got told that the campaign wasn't just for breast cancer, but all cancer and it's doing good lots of money has been raised and I felt like my point was being missed. I know cancer, my granddad was taken by lung cancer, my Mum was taken by breast cancer, other cancers have been in my family, it's not nice.

Ok so money is being raised but this campaign wasn't actually set up by any cancer charities somehow it got linked to cancer and then they jumped on the band wagon and suddenly it was a money generating scheme. The message seems to have got lost.

As I'd only seen it in relation to breast cancer and I think perhaps the fact it was urging women to post selfies with no make up suggested it was a 'female' cancer campaign, that's why I promoted breast awareness.

But a message of getting to know your body and not being afraid of it is very powerful, and that should be the message. I feel that people are posting their 'brave' photo of themselves with no make up donating their few pounds and that's it, job done! good deed for the month, but let's not actually think about it.

So spread awareness - men should check their bits and bobs, ladies should check theirs, hey you can even check each other. You are best placed to know if something is 'wrong' even if you don't know what, but how can you know if something is not right if you are afraid of your own body.