Officials at Gilbert High School in Ariz. have banned T-shirts bearing the slogan “Feel for lumps, save your bumps”, deeming the statement inappropriate for a school setting.
The cheerleading squad, who planned to wear them to a breast cancer fundraiser, designed the shirts.
Gilbert High School’s principal, Dr. J. Charles Santa Cruz, maintained that the school supported raising awareness for breast cancer but did not condone the message conveyed by the tees, saying: “In no way is the school administration against Breast Cancer Awareness Month or initiatives students might take in support of it. We just want to make sure we’re in the bounds of appropriate boundaries of a school setting.”
This shirt is the most recent addition in a string of clever marketing campaigns aimed at making light of breast cancer by bearing witty catchphrases like “I love boobies” and “Save the Ta-tas”.
T-shirts, bracelets and other miscellaneous boob paraphernalia may ignite a furor from the more conservative-minded, but there is no denying the marketing is efficient, with proceeds totaling over $690,000 from the ta-tas® brand alone.
While some feel that actual awareness is being sidelined by the numerous marketing techniques employed by everyone from Kentucky Fried Chicken to the NFL, organizations like Susan G. Komen for the Cure remain steadfast in their quest to end breast cancer, no matter where the money is coming from.
“We want to give people as many options (for giving) as possible,” Leslie Aun, a spokeswoman for Komen told the Seattle Times.