Is Pink Dainty or Butch?
Writing about a study purporting to support the notion that girls have an inherent preference for pink — making it the girl's color — Ben Goldacre wrote the following, which I wanted to save in my "It's Always Been That Way — Hasn't It?" file.
But is colour preference cultural or genetic? Well. The “girls preferring pink” thing is not set in stone, and in fact there are good reasons to suspect it is culturally determined. I have always been led to believe by my father – the toughest man in the world – that pink is the correct colour for mens’ shirts. In fact until very recently blue was actively considered soft and girly, while boys wore pink, a tempered form of fierce, dramatic red.
There is no reason why you should take my word for this. Back in the days when ladies had a home journal (in 1918) the Ladies Home Journal wrote: “There has been a great diversity of opinion on the subject, but the generally accepted rule is pink for the boy and blue for the girl. The reason is that pink being a more decided and stronger color is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl.”
The Sunday Sentinel in 1914 told American mothers: “If you like the color note on the little one’s garments, use pink for the boy and blue for the girl, if you are a follower of convention.” Some sources suggest it wasn’t until the 1940s that the modern gender associations of girly pink became universally accepted. Pink is, therefore, perhaps not biologically girly. Boys who were raised in pink frilly dresses went down mines and fought in World War 2. Clothing conventions do change over time.
[from Ben Goldacre, "Bad Science: Pink, pink, pink, pink. Pink moan.", The Guardian, 25 August 2007.]
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on Saturday, 29 September 2007 at 21.53
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This is the something new for me to learn today. I knew the pink for girls, blue for boys thing went back a ways, but had no idea it was exactly the opposite prior to the 1940's.
I remember having a pink dress shirt when I was in high school, and it was a favorite for dressier occasions. One reason is that my girlfriend told me she really liked it. Beyond that, I don't recall having any pink clothing in my younger years or since. Blue, my wife's favorite on me, is a mainstay.
I never actually considered a genetic basis for girls wearing pink. It's an absurd notion. However, I'm open to the possibility that women in their fifth decade and beyond act on some genetic or hormonal directions as their enthusiasm for lavender and purple intensifies. If that's what's going on, I hope some preventative or suppressive therapy will be developed.
BTW, I mean no offense if you're fond of these colors. Which, given the hues of this blog is probably the case. On your blog, it's fine. Throughout my bedroom, no so much.
on Sunday, 30 September 2007 at 08.33
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1914? 1918? Ha. They didn't even have colors back then…everything was in black and white…I've seen the pictures…
I'm thinking that the wider availability of dyes, clothing choices, industrial dying processes, etc. let the REAL place for colors be decided.
on Sunday, 30 September 2007 at 19.10
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Indeed, Fred — I've seen those same pictures!
A variety of color choices for clothing, as you say, is certainly a relatively recent invention, but that doesn't mean that a longing for color, nor associations with color, haven't existed for quite a long time. I'm fascinated by the "official" color for the Virgin Mary's cloak in painted representations over time — red, blue, and even green have had their times, generally depending on pigment availability and which one was most expensive. Only the best for the BVM, of course.
But suppose you're a cave-man out rock hunting, and you come across a geode that you break open to find filled with beautiful, pink quartz crystals. To whom do you give it to: your cave-son or your cave-daughter?
on Sunday, 30 September 2007 at 21.56
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SW, I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't paint out bedroom this color, either, although it's rather similar to the color of a couple of the walls in the main room of the house — it goes with the dark blue and the medium salmon. (Someday I'll finish the whole room with the planned burnt orange, dark chocolate in the kitchen, and some medium green up above. Perhaps you have to be here to see the effect.)
This is the color that the theme I'm using for the blog came in, and I found it appealing enough to keep it. Perhaps someday I'll change it to shades of red, which is officially my favorite color, but I'm not one to rush into things.
on Sunday, 30 September 2007 at 23.01
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That's some color scheme you've got there, LOL.
Actually, our bedroom is painted white, but the curtains, bedspread, pillows and extra blanket, all lavender, purple or blue, serve to color the entire room a very cool lavender hue. I don't favor the coolness or the coloration.
on Wednesday, 3 October 2007 at 08.31
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"But suppose you're a cave-man out rock hunting, and you come across a geode that you break open to find filled with beautiful, pink quartz crystals. To whom do you give it to: your cave-son or your cave-daughter?"
I suppose I give it to the cave-wife, who gives it to whomever ate all their cave-cheerios that morning.
But when rose quartz and blue tourmaline become available in large supplies, I'm thinking that maybe a kind of cultural theorem of large numbers kicks in, and the rose quartz goes to the girl.
on Thursday, 4 October 2007 at 22.05
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What a fascinating study – I didn't realize either that pink and blue were reverse stereotypes before the 40's. Perhaps I can use that to rationalize the huge blue and pink Men's and Women's bathroom keys that people always complain about at my workplace. Of course they may not want to stand there while I explain…