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Gender & Society
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"It’s Just about being Fair"

Activism and the Politics of Volunteering in the Breast Cancer Movement

Amy Blackstone

University of Maine

Constructions of women’s activism as social service, volunteer, or charity work contribute to the relative invisibility of these forms of activism. The author conducted field research at an affiliate office of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. She analyzes how these women volunteers resist the label "activist" at the same time that they engage in activities that resemble activism. The author also examines the reasons for their resistance to the term. Her analysis shows that implicit connections between constructions of activism and gender shape the extent to which volunteers think of their work either as political or as activism. In light of Komen’s heteronormative gender ideology, the author concludes by raising questions about the relationships among gender, activism, and civic participation.

Key Words: activism • volunteer • breast cancer • politics

Gender & Society, Vol. 18, No. 3, 350-368 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/0891243204264092
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