‘Bangers to Cancer’: Social media, charity fundraising and objectification

Abstract

This paper examines images from the ‘Bangers to Cancer’ breast cancer fundraising campaign in the light of feminist perspectives on the gaze and Objectification Theory. I argue that the images circulated from this charitable campaign objectify women in four ways: 1) women’s bodies are fragmented for visual consumption as sexual objects, 2) it is suggested that this display has financial value, 3) the possibilities for viral nomination afforded online perpetuates this objectification, 4) women with cancer are ‘othered’ as less feminine. I propose that the images from ‘Bangers to Cancer’ epitomise the problem of women’s objectification in digital spaces.