Although now the universal symbol for Breast Cancer Awareness, the pink ribbon actually has quite a controversial past. Ribbons were first used as a symbol in 1979 when Penney Laingen, a wife of an American hostage in Iran, tied a yellow ribbon around a tree in her front yard to represent the anticipation of her husband coming home. Laingen’s touching sentiment inspired many families of hostages to do the same, forming a collective understanding of the meaning behind the yellow ribbon.Â
As for Breast Cancer Awareness ribbons specifically, the first organization to use the pink ribbon was the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in 1991 for their annual “Race for the Cure” in New York City. This foundation claims the rights to the pink “running ribbon,” but acknowledges the universality of the pink ribbon for symbolizing Breast Cancer Awareness.
Despite what the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation claims, many sources argue that Charlotte Haley—a sister, a granddaughter, and a mother of breast cancer patients—had initiated this movement when she crafted peach-colored ribbons to call attention to breast cancer funding gaps in 1991. With her reputation as a grassroots activist and advocate, she seems to receive the credit for encouraging policy change while Komen’s foundation is recognized as the force that made the pink ribbon popular among the public.Â
After cosmetic giant EstĂ©e Lauder used the pink ribbon symbol in their Breast Cancer Awareness campaign in 1992, several other organizations jumped on the bandwagon. Foundations rooted in Breast Cancer Awareness began employing the pink ribbon as their logo in unique ways, which unified the movement and made Breast Cancer Awareness recognizable across the world. Variations of the pink ribbon were developed to represent different types of breast cancer, such as inflammatory breast cancer (hot pink), hereditary and gynecologic cancers (baby pink and pale blue), male breast cancer (dark pink and sky blue), and metastatic breast cancer (green, blue, and pink).Â
The pink ribbon’s evolution captures both the unity and controversy at the heart of Breast Cancer Awareness. While its color and meaning have expanded to represent all lived realities of individuals affected by breast cancer, debate continues over the pink ribbon’s true origins. No matter the shade of your pink ribbon, don’t be afraid to wear it this October to spread support and awareness for the breast cancer movement.