Grace Dent: Thank heavens for ‘cock in a sock’

I have looked at hundreds of these selfies for cancer awareness

After last week’s charity “no make-up selfie” trend – a craze where self-involved women posted slightly less preened pictures of themselves on social media and their galpals lied that they looked much prettier with blotchy skin and visible blackheads – I have been slightly good-caused out.

So thank heavens for #cockinasock – a new wacky Twitter and Facebook trend where men are raising awareness about testicular cancer by posing totally naked aside from their genitals shoved roughly into a sock.

Not one picture of a man involved with #cockinasock – and I have looked at hundreds as I am very earnest about my dislike of cancer - appears to be a stranger to his local gym, his protein powder supplier and his pubic hair topiary parlour.

Still, I am prepared to look past the self-serving nature of these good deeds and cheer these heroes on. As I write, news is breaking about a “topless for cancer” – tits 'oot for the Big C! etc - which, of course, I think is demeaning, objectifying and should be banned for the good of us all.

The ‘no makeup selfie’ craze seems like narcissism masked as charity. Why not donate instead?

It's hard to argue with £1 million raised for cancer research - but to say that these snaps are courageous is simply nonsense