Pink Is Not A Dirty Word

7

September 10, 2012 by Vicki

I am proud to be a woman. I enjoy being feminine in the way that I act, dress, and behave.  I enjoy using pink pens to write down my “TO DO” lists and my ideas. Pink makes my To Do List something I can identify with as mine.   I like to put silly bows and things into my hair. They make me laugh when I see myself in the mirror and they make those I care about laugh as well.   I enjoy reading romantic stories like Bridget Jones Diary and Eat, Pray, Love. Both taught me about being a woman, being in charge of my own life and yet still falling in love. I like to have a long hot bath and read before I go to sleep. I like wearing skirts and dresses occasionally, although I could not wear all the time. They get caught in everything.  I enjoy wearing a wide variety of necklaces and earrings. What necklace and earrings I wear often reflects what mood I am in and what I want to accomplish that day. I love to have giggle fests and enjoy being super-hyper. (I have, in the past, been banned from jelly beans. They make me too hyper.)  I love being with children and animals and generally, both children and animals enjoy spending time with me.

Yes, I like Tinkerbell too.

None of the above means that I am less than a man. Nor do they suggest that I should have less voice or fewer rights. They also do not lessen my actions and stance as a feminist. All of the above characteristics combine to create part of my character. My character and my actions should speak louder than what I wear or the colour of my pen.  I can be uniquely female and still be a part of the human race with equal rights and value. For advertisers to target my desire to be feminine is a strategy to make me spend my money. Making a product pink so that women will buy it does not make an advertiser sexist. Pink doesn’t make me less.

and neither does this ladybug push pin

I hasten to remind everyone that Pink used to be considered a boy’s colour. According to Wikipedia, from the 1920’s to the 1940’s, pink was traditionally considered for boys as it was a stronger colour, while the delicate blue was dedicated to the girls. Societal ideas about the colour pink changed under a hundred years ago, so please spare me the pink debate. We have to be careful that in our efforts to be politically correct, we do stifle individuality and uniqueness. We should not forget that the sexes are different. Neither sex is less than or evil but both sexes have differences. We should appreciate and highlight those differences not try to hide them away. Obviously, in today’s world, gender has become broader than simply male and female but even that reflects difference not judgement.  I don’t care how you identify yourself via gender; you are still my equal and I am yours. We both have the right to express our gender as part of our identity.