Jun. 19: Wear the ribbon

First, a video (because I just gotta and it has to do with my post topic and it’s from Seinfeld so you know it’ll be funny so just shut up and click the play button already):

 

I was bead shopping this morning. As you may know, when I create jewelry pieces, I try to make them have some special significance; I use gemstones that have metaphysical properties appropriate to the wearer, or colors that have meaning beyond the usual connotations. I’ve become kind of a freak about the whole thing—I keep a document that lists gemstones and their “powers,” and am always looking for more information and new gemstones and all sorts of ways to change the jewelry I make. Anything to make it better, y’know?

Sure, you might think it’s kinda wacko. And my responses to that accusation are:

1. “Could be. But it can’t hurt, right?” AND
2. “Bite me.”

Last fall I started looking into the meaning of awareness ribbon colors. Today I found this list (at one of my favorite bead shops, Fire Mountain Gems) and was amazed and amused at what all the colors have come to signify. I have to share. I just have to.

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Black represents:

Amish Support Anti-Terrorism Gang Prevention Gun Control

Melanoma Mourning Narcolepsy POW/MIA (alternative color: Yellow)

Sleep Apnea Sleep Disorders Students for Gun Control Trauma

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Black and Blue represent:

Loss of a Brother Loss of a Male Child

Mourning a Brother Mourning a Son

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Black and Pink represent:

Loss of a Female Child Loss of a Sister

Mourning a Daughter Mourning a Sister

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Blue represents:

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) Alopecia Ankylosing Spondylitis Arthritis Brachial Plexus Injuries Child Abuse Prevention Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Colitis Colon Cancer Cororectal Cancer Crime Victim's Rights Crohn's Disease Drowning Dysautonomia Dystonia

Education Epstein-Barr Virus Erb's Palsy Familial Polyposis Free Speech Guillian Barre Syndrome Huntington's Disease Hurricane Hurricane Katrina Hystiocytosis Ichthyosis Interstitial Cystitis Langerhans Cell Hystiocytosis Leukodystrophies ME/CFIDS

Myositis Police Lost in Duty Rectal Cancer Restless Legs Syndrome Reye's Syndrome Save the Music in Our Schools Short Bowel Syndrome Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Teens Against Smoking Transverse Myelitis Victim's Rights Water Quality Water Safety

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Light Blue represents:

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) Addison's Disease Alopecia Ankylosing Spondylitis Arthritis Brachial Plexus Injuries Behcets Disease Child Abuse Prevention Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Chronic Illness Colitis Colon Cancer Cororectal Cancer Crime Victim's Rights Crohn's Disease Cushing Syndrome DiGeorge Sequence Drowning Dysautonomia Dystonia Education

Epstein-Barr Virus Erb's Palsy Familial Polyposis Free Speech Graves Disease Guillian Barre Syndrome Huntington's Disease Hurricane Hurricane Katrina Hyperaldosteronism Hystiocytosis Ichthyosis Interstitial Cystitis Klinefelter's Syndrome Langerhans Cell Hystiocytosis Leukodystrophies Lymphedema Men's Health ME/CFIDS Myositis Police Lost in Duty Pro Choice

Prostate Cancer Rectal Cancer Restless Legs Syndrome Reye's Syndrome Save the Music in Our Schools Scleroderma Short Bowel Syndrome Shprintzen Syndrome Spay / Neuter Pets Steven Johnson Syndrome Teens Against Smoking Thyroid Disease Transverse Myelitis Trisomy 18 Velo-Cardio Facial Syndrome Victim's Rights Water Quality Water Safety

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Blue and Yellow represents:

Designated Drivers Down Syndrome

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Burgundy represents:

Adhesions Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome AV Malformation Brain Aneurysm Cesarean Section (worn upside down) Cystic Hygroma Disabled Adults Factor V Leiden Headaches

Hemangioma and Vascular Malformation Hereditary Hemochromatosis Hospice Care Hughes Syndrome Lymphatic Malformation Meningitis Meningococcal Meningitis

Multiple Myeloma PHACES Post-Polio Syndrome Sickle Cell Anemia Sturge-Weber Syndrome Thrombophilia William's Syndrome

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Brown represents:

Anti-Tobacco Colon Cancer Colorectal Cancer

Familial Polyposis Tobacco Awareness

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Gold represents:

Childhood Cancer (alternative colors are pink and light blue) COPD

Embryonal Rhabdomysarcoma

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Grey represents:

Allergies Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Aphasia Asthma

Brain Cancer Brain Tumors Diabetes Mental Illness

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Green represents:

Bipolar Disorder Bone Marrow Donation Cerebral Palsy Childhood Depression Depression Environmental Concerns Eye Injury Prevention Fanconi's Syndrome Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva Freedom Glaucoma Growth and Rebuilding Homeopathy Kidney Cancer

Kidney Disease Kidney Donation Leukemia Literacy Living Organ Donation Manic Depression Mental Health Mental Illness Missing Children Mitochondrial Disease Nephrotic Syndrome Neural Tube Defects Neurofibromatosis Open Records for Adoptees

Organ Donation Organ Transplant Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Safety Driving Save Darfur Spinal Cord Injury Research Stem Cell Donor Stem Cell Research Tissue Donation Tourette's Syndrome Traumatic Brain Injury Von Hippel Lindau Worker Safety

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Lime Green represents:

Lymphoma Lyme Disease Muscular Dystrophy

Ivemark Syndrome Sandhoff Disease

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Orange represents:

Agent Orange effects Cultural Diversity Cat Spaying and Neutering Hunger Leukemia

Lupus Melanoma Motorcycle Safety Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Prader-Willi Syndrome

Racial Tolerance Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome (RSDS) Self-Injury Awareness

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Peach represents:

Uterine Cancer

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Pearl represents:

Lung Cancer Emphysema Mesothelioma

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinema

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Periwinkle represents:

Eating Disorders Pulmonary Hypertension Esophageal of Stomach Cancer

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Spastic Colon

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Pink represents:

Birth Parents Breast Cancer

Cleft Palate Nursing Mothers

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Pink and Blue represent:

Pregnancy Loss of an Infant

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Male Breast Cancer

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Pinstripe represents:

ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease)

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Purple represents:

ADD ADHD Alzheimer's Animal Abuse Colitis Crohn's Disease

Cystic Fibrosis Domestic Violence Fibromyalgia Leiomyosarcoma Lupus Pancreatic Cancer

Religious Tolerance Sarcoidosis Testicular Cancer Thyroid Cancer Victims of 9/11 (Including Police and Firefighters)

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Light Purple represents:

General Cancer Awareness Epilepsy Foster Care or Foster Parents

Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis Rett Syndrome

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Puzzle represents:

Asperger Syndrome Autism

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Rainbow represents:

Gay Pride Same Sex Marriage

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Red represents:

AIDS and HIV Cardiovascular Disease Congenital Heart Disease Congestive Heart Failure Courage and Inspiration DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Diamond-Blackfan Anemia DUI (Driving under the Influence) Epidermolysis Bullosa Evans Syndrome Factor XI Deficiency

Heart Disease Hemophilia High Blood Pressure Hypertension Long Q Sydrome T Sydrome Love Lymphoma (alternative color: lime green) MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) Marfan Syndrome Project Red Flag

Stroke Substance Abuse Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura Tuberculosis Vasculitis Disease Von Willebrand's Disease Wolf-Parkinson-White (WPW) Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy

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Red and Yellow represents:

Hepatitis C HIV/HCV Co-Infection

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Red, White and Blue represents:

Patriotism 9/11 Heroes

Support of our Troops Fireworks Safety

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Silver represents:

Mental Illnesses such as Severe Depression Bipolar Disorder Schizophrenia Anxiety Disorders

Children with Disabilities Parkinson's Disease

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Teal represents:

Agoraphobia Anxiety Disorder Batten Disease Cancers Types including: Cervical Ovarian Uterine Dissociative Identity Disorder Ectodermal Dysphasia

Food Allergies Fragile X Myasthenia Gravis Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Ovarian Cancer Panic Disorder Polycystic Kidney Disease Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Progressive Supanuclear Palsy Rape Sexual Assault Substance Abuse Tsunami Victims

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White represents:

Adoptee Adoption Anti-Child Pornography Anti-Pornography Anti-Stalking Anti-War Blindness Bone Cancer Bone Disease Child Exploitation Child Sexual Abuse/Assault Community Support

Congenital Cataracts Elderly Affairs Hernia Holocaust Remembrance Hope and Support Innocence Multiple Hereditary Exostoses (MHE) Molestation Survivor On-Line Sexual Predator Awareness Opposition to the War

Osteoporosis Peace Postpartum Depression Retinobiastoma Right to Life Safe Motherhood Salvation Army Scoliosis Student Sexual Assault Teen Pregnancy Victims of Terrorism

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Yellow represents:

Adoptive Parents Bladder Cancer Spina Bifida Endometriosis

Suicide Prevention Amber Alerts (Missing Children) Deployed Military

POW/MIA (alternative color is black) General Symbol for Hope

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This information creates a problem, because now I feel some obligation to wear all the colors that represent causes that are important to me. Here’s what every shirt I wear is going to have to look like now:

I’m just not sure if I’m that committed to wearing the ribbon. The ribbons. Many ribbons. Many. Many. Ribbons.