How can Hooters support the fight against breast cancer...

...all without being perceived as capitalistic, misogynistic, or otherwise demeaning to women?
However, I do understand from PharmGirl that just the simple existence of the Hooters franchise is an affront to all women. I am not even permitted to buy their frozen chicken wings in our supermarket.

I think Pharmgirl is on the right track here. Why would Hooters want to be perceived as not mysogynistic and demeaning to women? Why would they alienate themselves from their base?

I really don't know how to wrap my brain around that one either. Then again, I'm a molecular ecologist who specializes in insect populations and communities, and as an environmentalist and a rabid antenna-head, I find it alternately surreal and infuriating that Orkin sponsors the Smithsonian Insect Zoo.

You could always give up on being sensitive and play the capitalism/misogynism thing to the hilt. I'm thinking "yes, we're misogynistic bastards. It's in a good cause, what are you complaining about?".

Set it up as a Breast Defender event or something equally corny. Put enough thought into it and it becomes sufficiently cheesy that anyone who tries to take offence will be labelled a spoilsport.

I'm all for a corporate entity that is built around the woman breast getting behind the fight against breast cancer. There are so many synergies and economies of scale, it boggles the mind.

One thing is for sure, you'd get a lot more men on those long breast cancer walks, particularly at the head of the line, if they had the Hooter's girls leading the parade.

What's the big deal? They could just issue a statement such as, "At Hooters, we value healthy breasts." It's true! No hypocrisy there at all.

I think it's a good idea to tap institutions like Hooters for cash to support a decent cause.

I think it's reasonable for the organizers to acknowledge donations from Hooters tastefully (don't let them dictate the appearance or place ads in program copy or press releases!)

But you can't have a fundraising event at one of their establishments, or let them cater one for you elsewhere. Under those circumstances, I'd refuse to attend. There's a huge difference between letting them endorse you, and you endorsing them.

I don't think there's a cause in the world noble enough to get me to cross the threshold of a "Hooters". It could be that their philosophy seems to regard women as the devices that transport boobs from place to place. One gets enough of that in the workplace already.

That said, I'm all for soaking them for their money in order to redirect it to good causes.

I'm of the opinion there is no way to turn Hooters into a charity bastion. I completely expect them to turn breast cancer awareness into a "Save the Whales" level fiasco, prompting wealthy men to save the endangered Great Tit. I can envision the t-shirt campaign now: a tight white middrift with the word "Save Me" in a thought bubble eminating from the bosoms. Hellz no.

And besides, Hooters does not encourage healthy breasts nor healthy self-images of breasts. The surgically-altered bosoms that can provide shade to small woodland creatures are decidedly un-healthy (just read one horror story about an implant popping, or the back problems that ensue, infections, etc). Not to mention that the women who opt to actually have healthy (read: unaltered) breasts have to walk about feeling less-than.

If you could convince me that a post-mastectomy breast cancer survivor could get a job at Hooters (without invoking anti-discrimination suits), yeah, I'd jump on board.

Perhaps commentators would share their opinions on this. Hooters has suppoted breast cancer awareness in a non-trivialized way for many years, and one can only assume that this is a direct result of its corporate focus. Under danger of being banned simply for admitting that I've actually been to a Hooters, I'd also point out that many of the servers are normal, healthy, fit young women without implants who should be used as reference points against the waifs appearing in most womens magazines or the 'over-inflated' style of many strippers (yes I've been there too...)

How about this? From only a couple months ago, a lawsuit brought by girls encouraged into prostitution.....

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0414061hooters1.html

Or from their very own handbook (available here http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0915051hooters1.html) they are required to sign an agreement to take sexual harrassment in stride:
"I hereby acknowledge...the work environment is one in which joking and innuendo based on female sex appeal is commonplace."

Blak.

How can Hooters support the fight against breast cancer...all without being perceived as capitalistic, misogynistic, or otherwise demeaning to women?
...
My initial guess is that the French, Italian, and Brazilian researchers, for example, would have absolutely no problem with any link to the SABCS but, as we saw with the Baby Talk/breastfeeding cover insanity, most Americans would be up in arms. (pun intended, especially if it gets more women to their mammography screening)

I must point out that you have pulled a switcheroo here. The opening asks how Hooters can justify this. But later, we find that the real question is whether putative recipients can justify receiving money from Hooters. These are two different questions.

[quote]That said, I'm all for soaking them for their money in order to redirect it to good causes.[/quote]

Are you suggesting a fund-raiser centered upon a wet teeshirt contests theme?

I feel a little like the people who answer online polls with "not sure." Why bother to post if your answer is Not Sure? And yet, here I am. Breast disease and breast cancer were a huge part of my practice; so much so that I think it entered into my premature burnout. I saw increasing numbers of young women with breast cancer, and the fear and pain and devastation were impossible not to internalize with every visit. So anything that increases awareness, promotes early detection, funds research seems a good thing, no matter the source. On the other hand -- and let me say that, outside my professional life, wherein I was easily able to remain asexual, I view the feminine form with great pleasure -- a high-profile campaign by Hooters causes a certain dissonance: it seems it'd trivialize the problem at some level. The name itself, the concept of happy healthy young chicks prancing with (what) signs feels like an unserious project. But money is money, awareness is awareness. So. Not sure.

A note to the "not sure" people:

If it were possible to get Hooters to support breast cancer awareness it would be a great thing. There's no need to stand on your (possibly self-rightgeous) principles when a Hooters breast cancer awareness campaign would reach exactly the right audience: impressionable and likely badly informed young people. Besides Hooters will never support such a thing anyway. As is plain from their entire approach to business, they only care about making money, and associating the Hooters brand in any way with breast cancer is anathema to them.

Wow. Is everything so black & white?

Can Hooters support the fight against "breast" cancer, or any other cancer? Sure, they can. We all have flaws. Do we have to be 100% pure good to support a good cause?

Now, can Hooters support the fight "without appearing demeaning" to women? Yes. When a firefighter changes his engine oil, does he appear heroic to you? Not unless you're obsessed with what a hero the firefighter is.

Stop obsessing with what you don't approve of Hooters, and let them support the good fight.

For some reason the old saying: "Dont get your meat where you get your bread..." keeps coming to mind here.

In other words, maybe Hooters could have a greater impact on cancer awareness by focusing on their core clientele. Men. Testicular cancer and prostate cancer research are worthy causes as well, and given the "atmosphere" of a Hooters restaurant, survivors of these cancers might be less likely to take offense in the way that some breast cancer survivors might.

As for how the corporation "can support the fight against breast cancer all without being perceived as capitalistic, misogynistic, or otherwise demeaning to women?"

""We employ over 15,000 Hooters Girls around the world and have some 250,000 alumni. We have a responsibility to all Hooters Girls, past and present, to battle this dreaded disease," explained Mike McNeil, Vice President of Marketing for Hooters of America. "We also want to honor Kelly Jo for all she has done for Hooters." Hooters Girls across the country began selling Pink Hooters Girl Uniform Cards to raise money for Kelly Jo and the V Foundation in July. In just one month, through the sales of the cards and other local fundraising efforts, the restaurants raised $235,000. The $1 Million will be awarded in five $200,000 grants annually by the V Foundation's Scientific Review Committee to scientists conducting breast cancer research. The company is also working with Kelly Jo Dowd on a prevention and early detection awareness program for employees."

Now, as for how you can convince your wife that frequenting the Hooters in San An. is all for a good cause... Youre on your own there!

But at least you can point out that Hooters has a long track record of supporting science and science education. Just look what theyve done to

Many thanks to all for the thoughtful discussion today. To clarify my question for somnilista, I should note that I mentioned the researchers less so as potential recipients of Hooters grants, but more so in that some might be unhappy with the simple association of Hooters with the SABCS mtg.

Regardless of the side of the issue you take, one other thing I forgot to add in this post is that one should generally be very wary of any corporation claiming to be raising money for breast cancer research and survivorship. Think Before You Pink looks carefully at "pink" marketing schemes to determine how much money actually makes it to orgs like the Komen Foundation, Jimmy V Foundation, etc.

I wonder what percentage of the sales of pink ribbons in recognition of Kelli Jo Dowd's fight with breast cancer made it into the recently announced $1 million that Hooters donated for breast cancer research - actually, I take that back: Hooters donated $500K and The V Foundation matched it with another $500K. So, the V Foundation apparently isn't bothered by the association.

Shoot. That would have been funnier if the link had actually worked:

Put enough thought into it and it becomes sufficiently cheesy that anyone who tries to take offence will be labelled a spoilsport.

That already happened. In fact, that sentence describes the restaurant in a nutshell.

That said, I'm all for soaking them for their money in order to redirect it to good causes.

Interesting view coming from an ethicist. Is it acceptable to use ill-gotten gains for good?

A donation from Hooter's for breast cancer research just strikes me as an attempt to ensure they have a continuous supply of breasts to serve their patrons as opposed to dedication to curing disease.

Good question. Not sure how I feel about it. I've enjoyed the discussion, though! And for those who are seriously opposed to the idea, there's this:

http://www.businessweek.com/2000/00_45/b3706008.htm

Reeebok is a big sponsor of the Avon Walk.

How pure must our sponsors be?

I'm certain that Hooters' waitresses get breast cancer just like other women. They would probably appreciate the gesture. Since Hooters makes a big deal out of breasts, I think it would be great if Hooters were to support breast cancer research.

I heard you were looking for a breast cancer patient/radical feminist blogger from Texas. Look no further!

If Hooters actually gave two shits about women, they'd give all their money to an anti-Hooters campaign. Breast cancer blows, but Hooters would be of far greater benefit to womankind by dropping off the face of the earth.

All the comments are quite interesting to me as I am a breast cancer survivor & peer counselor.

It seems that many people are overlooking the man who gets breast cancer. The fight for BC research should be not just for women with boobs but for the men who are victims as well. In that case, it is doubly important that Hooters goes ahead and supports any type of BC research, both for their employees AND the customers.

Not only that, but Hooters girls, right or wrong they might be about the kind of work they do, still have breasts, implants or not, and as such can also fall victim to this epidemic. Having implants does not exclude a person from being diagnosed with breast cancer. About 1 in 7 or 8 women will get breast cancer and 1% of the breast cancer patients are men. Approximately 460 men will die from breast cancer this year.

It somewhat infuriates me to know that so many men are struggling with breast cancer on their own with so little support for their journey.

Ni Hao! Kannichi Wa!Definitely exploitive gender bias here. But who's exploiting who?The 70% male customer base is paying while the girls are leaving with paychecks and tips.More fair and less controversial to recycle support to testicular and prostate cancer to benefit those who are being fleeced.MOTYR

Yep, Twisty - you are indeed the one. Thanks for comin' by to share your view, one that I anticipated eagerly. Heartiest best wishes in your personal battle with this beast of a disease.

Just so y'all know, I had/have no desire of going to Hooters myself - I'll be holding court in S.A. instead at Schilo's German Deli just upstairs from the Riverwalk - Spaten Optimator on tap and some of the best sausages outside of Europe.

MaryD: thanks also for raising awareness about male breast cancer; indeed, it accounts for 1% of the cases of breast cancer in the US. More info at the American Cancer Society site.

You GO twisty! Thank you!

And come ON -- Hooters got its name from a "musical instrument"? Ha-ha -- ha, ha, haaaaaaaaaaaaaa (wipes corners of eyes)

I need some clarification; am I correct in my conclusion that the first sentence declares capitalism to be demeaning to women?