If this were your Facebook friend, her status might read "Black and white!"
If you see a female friend posting the name of a color as her status update, she may be cluing you in to the hue of her lingerie. Too much information? Maybe, but it's for a good cause; since January 2010, women have been encouraged to post their bra color on Facebook to raise breast cancer awareness.
Origin
The origin of the "color status meme" is unknown; it was not started by or affiliated with any official cancer-prevention organization. Women were instructed to privately message their female Facebook friends to post their bra color as a status update, but to not say why publicly.
Hook
The "hook" of the meme was that women were posting a one-word update stating a color, and others -- particularly men -- did not know why. By not letting the guys in on the secret, the women got to have fun watching them trying to figure it out.
Response
Although the color meme may have been fun, its success in spreading breast cancer awareness is unknown. The Susan G. Komen Foundation told The Associated Press in January 2010 that it supported the idea and that women should "get educated, get a mammogram" in response to the viral message. However, with many Facebook users not "in the know" about the updates' meaning, that goal may not have been achieved.
Current Status
Internet memes tend to experience resurgences from time to time, with some users discovering and reposting a message long after it was first popular. So, although the first "color campaign" has subsided, you may occasionally see "Blue" or "Leopard print" popping up in your newsfeed from time to time.
Tags: color status, have been, breast cancer, breast cancer awareness, cancer awareness, color status update, from time
