Why is pink a feminine color?

[Mescalhead]

It is considered effeminate, and it has very much to do with the primitive psychology of man. When a girl wears different colors, it sends different signals, and most men universally see pink as a sign of effeminacy.

Besides that, pink is boring just like yellow.


The real question is: why is purple considered effeminate? Granted there are lighter shades of it, but the electric purples that are juxtaposed with a solid and sharp blue and a bright red are very cool looking, especially in fractals.

 

[Oruc]

red is a good colour, its the colour of blood, which can mean pain has been caused to someone and pain is always fun

 

[Knight-Dragon]

IMO it's one of the things that's just it - a natural 'law' of the Universe, like women like to shop and shop, like women always make you spent money and so on...

 

[Global Nexus]

It's annoying how people act like pink is somehow "feminine". Pink sets off a reaction, yes...a soothing reaction that quells hostility. It is a very peaceful, wonderful color. It's simply an ingrained thing from society that pink equals girly. I suppose it could be because it calms hostility and such, since that is usually NOT something that is supported for the generic male. Though, I am more feminine than the average male, but I am not homosexual...I'm not even bisexual. Being heterosexual and liking pink is something I've been made fun of for.

I used to dislike pink because "it was for girls". Then I grew up and realized that colors mean...nothing whatsoever. If you like a color, you like it. If you dislike it, you dislike it. I will never deny that I like pink for fear of embarrassment anymore. If someone is so petty that they will make fun of me for it or assume untrue things about me...then said person is not even worth my time.

 

[Enemy Ace]

Think of natural things which are pink. Flowers. Anything else?! Flowers are mostly associated with females.

On a similar topic, the U.S. Air Force F-117 Nighthawk was originally supposed to be colored pink, but pink was viewed as feminine color, so it was changed to black.

 

[Global Nexus]

Originally posted by Enemy Ace
Think of natural things which are pink. Flowers. Anything else?! Flowers are mostly associated with females.

Flamingos are pink, though I do believe it's what they eat that makes them pink. There are kinds of birds that are pink, I believe. Also, what do FLOWERS have to do with anything? And WHY are they associated with females in the first place? Simple...society. Society constantly reinforces that certain things are "feminine" and others are "masculine". There is NO basis for "color preferences" in the natural world besides things involving camoflauge and such.

 

[Archer 007]

Originally posted by Enemy Ace
Think of natural things which are pink. Flowers. Anything else?! Flowers are mostly associated with females.

On a similar topic, the U.S. Air Force F-117 Nighthawk was originally supposed to be colored pink, but pink was viewed as feminine color, so it was changed to black.

The military is already fruity enough without pink planes.
The Navy is already like a Raisin Bran commericial.

 

[bobgote]

Originally posted by Global Nexus
Being heterosexual and liking pink is something I've been made fun of for.

and rightly so, ya big pansy

 

[andrewgprv]

I think Enemy Ace has the best answer. Many flowers are pink and flowers are something that have long been associated with the female reproductive system.

 

[Enemy Ace]

Sure, flowers, flamingos...

Which sex would be more fond of these two things? When a wife or girlfriend does something mean or bad, does she ever get her man flowers to make up? Do you know of any kid or wife that has ever bought their Father flowers for Father's Day? When is the last time the Husband threw the bouquet of flowers at a wedding instead of the Wife? Anyone?

Do we understand why flowers are associated with women?

 

[Turner]

Actually, Pink was picked as a girl color for one reason only: It complemented blue being used as a boy color. And why was blue chosen for boys? That I don't remember clearly. It has to do with some ancient belief about color protecting a baby from demons or some such.

Hmm. . . now that I think about it, I may have heard that in one of those widely popular emails distributed about 'facts'. . . I may have to research this some. I don't recall where I first heard this.

edit: Well, a quick search at ask.com "Why is pink associated with girls" gives several different references. And none of them really match. So I don't really know why. Forget I said anything. Go on. Read the next post now. Nothing to see here. Move along now.

 

[Knowze Gungk]

The answer is simple.

You cannot milk a male yak.

 

[Grille]

I think it's all about tradition, at least for us.
We were told what pink relates to.

Question remains: who 'invented' the pink/blue colour association.
Maybe girls/boys just always liked these colours the most(?).

But I'm very sure that if you could make some 'society isolation experiment', you could succesfully try (steer the process) to implement another colour association.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

The gates we pass through to enter this world are pink. Cant think of a better reason to associate the color with womanhood.

 

[Akka]

Originally posted by andrewgprv
I think Enemy Ace has the best answer. Many flowers are pink and flowers are something that have long been associated with the female reproductive system.

Actually, there is no flower that I know which are pink.
Pink roses aren't "natural flowers", by the way. They were purely CREATED from white and red ones.

And about pink... Honestly, I don't really care if people think I'm sexually insecure because I hate pink. I also dislike yellow, purple and brown, and I don't really care why.
Tastes and colours aren't subject to discuss ^^

 

[Nad]

I like pink Such a sweet and innocent colour. I even have a couple of pink shirts


Did I get ribbed at school and uni? Sure, I got a lot of stick! But it's never bothered me, I like the colour for its own sake, for me, it has nothing to do with sexuality.

 

[Stapel]

My favourite colour is yellow. I chose it when I was 2 years old, as I loved 'hutspot', a typical Dutch meal, made of potatoes, carrots and onions. Smashed together it is yellow, for those that can't follow....

I think pink and blue are only typical used for gender for babies. Pink (here in NL) does represent homosexuality.

Whatever it is, I like the colour! Here is a pic of me, wearing a pink shirt (btw, I do have the same shirt in yellow too):

 

[Superevie]

Originally posted by Moonsinger
I have always like pink for as long as I can remember. Now that you mention it, I'm not sure why I like pink. I guess it's the same question as why the good guy usually dress in white and the bad guy usually dress in black.

I'm with you Moonsinger. I have always loved pink! Pink is so pretty and oddly attractive. If I have a choice between a blue sweater or a pink one, I always go pink. I love pink lip gloss and pretty much pink in any form. I was watching Trista and Ryan's wedding on tv (Stop laughing!) and Trista LOVED pink so much. Ryan was actually color-blind and couldn't even see the all the pink. I really don't know why, but girls and pink go together like rye bread and pastrami.

 

[RoddyVR]

I really don't know why, but girls and pink go together like rye bread and pastrami.

eeeeewww. rye bread and pastrami??? thats disgusting.

 

[polymath]

I don't wear pink myself...however I do have a salmon coloured polo shirt