"I Decked Myself Out in Pink": Examining the Role of the Pink Uniform in a Virtual Sports Charity Event
File version
Version of Record (VoR)
Author(s)
Palmer, Catherine
Wade, Matthew
Filo, Kevin
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Date
Size
File type(s)
Location
Abstract
From the annual ‘Pink Test’ cricket match in Australia to Mother’s Day fun runs, there has been a proliferation of ‘pink’ uniformed charity events. This article analyses the pink uniform of the 2020 Cancer Council Tasmania’s Women’s first virtual 5K walk/run (W5K). The Women’s 5K event took take place virtually in September 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. The annual event, which runs through the CBD of Launceston, a regional city in Tasmania, typically attracts around 2,000 participants and is Cancer Council Tasmania’s major annual fundraiser. Cancer Council received 798 registrations for the 2020 virtual event and raised over $120,000. Locating the W5K pink uniform within the emergence of “embodied philanthropy” (Robert), this article analyses how pink uniforms were used by virtual walkers and runners to recreate the mass affective and community spectacle of the usually in-person event. Drawing upon Vilnai-Yavert and Rafaeli’s artifacts framework, the article extends the concept of “embodied philanthropy” to outline the instrumental, symbolic and aesthetic dimensions of the pink sports charity uniform. While acknowledging the risks of “pinkwashing” in reproducing narrow gender ideals and bright-siding cancer, the article argues the pink uniform was vital in staging a meaningful and impactful virtual event.
Journal Title
M/C Journal
Conference Title
Book Title
Edition
Volume
26
Issue
1
Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
DOI
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement
© 2023 Nicholas Hookway, Catherine Palmer, Matthew Wade, Kevin Filo. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Item Access Status
Note
Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject
Screen and digital media
Communication and media studies
Cultural studies
Persistent link to this record
Citation
Hookway, N; Palmer, C; Wade, M; Filo, K, "I Decked Myself Out in Pink": Examining the Role of the Pink Uniform in a Virtual Sports Charity Event, M/C Journal, 2023, 26 (1)