Audre Lorde's personal story about her struggle with breast cancer and life following mastectomy touched me on a personal level. The main point I took out of her article was that society needs to be more honest and accepting about the nature of this common disease and its effects on women's lives. After her mastectomy, she felt pressured by many people, including medical professionals, to wear a prosthetic breast in order to look or feel "normal." Her argument was that wearing something fake would not help her accept her new body and the changes which cancer brought about in her life.
I can understand why she would feel this way. She would rather have society accept the way her body actually is than force her to look like everyone else. Perhaps this visible sign of difference makes other people feel uncomfortable, reminding them of the painful subject of cancer. However, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, with very serious implications (Lorde's statistics say that only 50% live three years after a diagnosis). From personal experience, I believe that it is most therapeutic for people affected by breast cancer if the topic is discussed openly and honestly, without any shame involved. Trying to cover up the reality of the situation does not actually solve anything.
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