The color pink is now associated with womanhood and little girls, just like light blue is associated with little boys and manhood. However, in 1918 "Infant's Department" (an industry publication) said the reverse was the "generally accepted rule", describing pink as "more decided and stronger" while blue was "more delicate and dainty" . Pink continued to be used for both boys' and girls' clothing through the early 1960s, though it is becoming more and more associated with femininity. For example, Carrie from Sex and the City often wears pink dresses. Pink is also the signature color for Elle from the Legally Blonde movie series.
The color pink also has an association with female genitalia. Used as a slang term to refer to female genitalia.
Pink is the color of the Breast Cancer Awareness ribbon. Breast cancer is a leading killer of women, and pink was chosen partially because it is so strongly associated with femininity.
Some feminists have decried the color pink, along with dresses and skirts, as something related to the pre-feminism "old-style female", which they view as a symbol of the oppression and limitations of that era. Although this trend persists, the current wave of feminism advocates choice, and many women have sought to reclaim aspects of the old-style female, including pink (and indeed dresses and skirts), as something to be proud of. For example, the Swedish radical feminist party Feminist Initiative uses pink as its colour.
Pink is also associated with gays, lesbians, and bisexuals, often in the form of a pink triangle. This symbolic usage stems from the symbols used by the Nazis to label their prisoners in the concentration camps . Where Jews were forced to wear the familiar yellow stars of David, and Roma people were forced to wear a black triangle; men imprisoned on accusations of homosexuality or same sex sexual activity were forced to wear a pink triangle. Nowadays, it is often worn with pride. A Dutch newsgroup about homosexuality is called nl.roze, roze being the Dutch word for pink. In Britain, Pink News is a leading gay newspaper and online news service. In business, the pink pound or pink dollar refers to the spending power of the GLBT community. Advertising agencies call the gay market the Pink Economy. There is a magazine called Pink for the GLBT community which has different editions for various metropolitan areas . Sometimes the expression That is as gay as pink tea is used when someone or something reminds one of homosexuality. (The only tea that is actually pink is herbal hibiscus tea, which is appropriate since Hibiscus was the person who founded the popular gay liberation theatre troupe the Cockettes on 31 December 1969 in San Francisco). (See also lavender for its GLBT associations.)
In 1993, artist Gioia Fonda created a conceptual piece in the form of a week long holiday called "pink week". The intention of pink week is to liberate the color pink from all dogma and simply celebrate the color pink as a color. Although the artist acknowledges that it is nearly impossible for most people in our culture not to associate certain meanings with certain colors, she hopes that we can let pink, and all colors for that matter, be just colors for one week a year. To participate, simply appreciate the optical qualities of the color pink. While you're at it, slow down, appreciate and consider the particular qualities of every item, person and place. Pink week is usually celebrated by wearing pink clothing, eating pink foods and looking for pink items in your everyday life. It is also celebrating many many other ways, to numerous to list here. For those that don't like pink, pink week can be celebrated through abstinence, that is, avoiding the color pink for the entire week. It can also be appropriate to ruminate upon another color for the week, and still be celebrating pink week. Pink week occurs each year the second full week of November. Celebrations often include gallery shows of pink art, pink dinner parties and pink parades.
The color pink also has an association with female genitalia. Used as a slang term to refer to female genitalia.
Pink is the color of the Breast Cancer Awareness ribbon. Breast cancer is a leading killer of women, and pink was chosen partially because it is so strongly associated with femininity.
Some feminists have decried the color pink, along with dresses and skirts, as something related to the pre-feminism "old-style female", which they view as a symbol of the oppression and limitations of that era. Although this trend persists, the current wave of feminism advocates choice, and many women have sought to reclaim aspects of the old-style female, including pink (and indeed dresses and skirts), as something to be proud of. For example, the Swedish radical feminist party Feminist Initiative uses pink as its colour.
Pink is also associated with gays, lesbians, and bisexuals, often in the form of a pink triangle. This symbolic usage stems from the symbols used by the Nazis to label their prisoners in the concentration camps . Where Jews were forced to wear the familiar yellow stars of David, and Roma people were forced to wear a black triangle; men imprisoned on accusations of homosexuality or same sex sexual activity were forced to wear a pink triangle. Nowadays, it is often worn with pride. A Dutch newsgroup about homosexuality is called nl.roze, roze being the Dutch word for pink. In Britain, Pink News is a leading gay newspaper and online news service. In business, the pink pound or pink dollar refers to the spending power of the GLBT community. Advertising agencies call the gay market the Pink Economy. There is a magazine called Pink for the GLBT community which has different editions for various metropolitan areas . Sometimes the expression That is as gay as pink tea is used when someone or something reminds one of homosexuality. (The only tea that is actually pink is herbal hibiscus tea, which is appropriate since Hibiscus was the person who founded the popular gay liberation theatre troupe the Cockettes on 31 December 1969 in San Francisco). (See also lavender for its GLBT associations.)
In 1993, artist Gioia Fonda created a conceptual piece in the form of a week long holiday called "pink week". The intention of pink week is to liberate the color pink from all dogma and simply celebrate the color pink as a color. Although the artist acknowledges that it is nearly impossible for most people in our culture not to associate certain meanings with certain colors, she hopes that we can let pink, and all colors for that matter, be just colors for one week a year. To participate, simply appreciate the optical qualities of the color pink. While you're at it, slow down, appreciate and consider the particular qualities of every item, person and place. Pink week is usually celebrated by wearing pink clothing, eating pink foods and looking for pink items in your everyday life. It is also celebrating many many other ways, to numerous to list here. For those that don't like pink, pink week can be celebrated through abstinence, that is, avoiding the color pink for the entire week. It can also be appropriate to ruminate upon another color for the week, and still be celebrating pink week. Pink week occurs each year the second full week of November. Celebrations often include gallery shows of pink art, pink dinner parties and pink parades.
