Images, femininity and cancer

An Analysis of an International Patient Education Programme

Bibliographic Data

ID4217883
AuthorsCatherine Phillips (0000-0002-2498-5508), Catherine R Phillips (0000-0003-4368-3545, University of Plymouth, corresponding author)
Year2009
Volume13
Issue1
Pages67-85
Publication date2009-01-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health Illness and Medicine (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1363-4593 • E-ISSN: 1461-7196
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1363459308097361
PMID19103716
OpenAlexW2134040573
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited40

This article is an analysis of a cancer patient education programme run by cosmetic companies. I focus on an analysis of imagery, arguing that there are particular discursive elements that the cosmetic companies use in order to make productive the relationship between femininity and cancer. I contextualize this education programme by presenting the controversies regarding cosmetics as they relate to the growth of breast tumours. In doing so, I conclude that conversations and questions about a link between chemicals and cancer are subverted by both `horror' narratives of cancer and the provocative use of standards of beauty. Such discursive dominance in patient education programmes makes it difficult to engage in a more public understanding of cancer growth as affected by cosmetic chemicals

Femininity · Sociology · Empathy and Medical Education · Gender Studies · Global Cancer Incidence and Screening · Medicine · Obesity and Health Practices

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