Next to Green, It's Not Easy Being Anti-Pink

Pink is not in.

Pink is not just for girls.

In fact, in the olden days (way before you were born, or I was born, just about the time your Mom was born, maybe)... pink was for boys. It was a watered down red, and red it the color of war and anger and strength...so, back in the day, boys were put in pink and girls were put in blue. Blue being tranquil, soft, and soothing, and all.

How all that got turned around, I do not know. But, I do know that a whole lot of women, myself included, are all pinked out. Oh, not that I don't like pink...it's great. What I don't understand it why the world continues to attach it to everything 'female.' In this article by Susan Reimer at the Baltimore Sun, she says, "I don't know about you, but I am pinked out, and I have lots of pinked-out friends."

Yes, October is breast-cancer awareness month and the pink ribbon is the right symbol for that, but... hey, we have to draw the line somewhere and I say let's draw it at the door, to your retail store. Stop trying to shove pink at me because I'm a woman. IF you want to use PINK as a power color, do so after checking with your female audience.

Reimer received a good bit of flack for her article, and I think it's because she did not choose her battle wisely. Breast cancer awareness is a positive thing. The pink ribbon is a recognizable symbol that most women are proud to wear... and even have adorned on items they purchase. And yet, one cancer survivor noted that the pink ribbon overshadows national ovarian cancer month, which is September. Where's their "pink" symbol of recognition?

Therefore, being women doesn't mean we want pink briefcases - maybe one or two of us do, but the rest of us want blue, or black, or maroon. I doubt most women want pink lawn mowers, although there will be a small minority who do. We don't want pink gargage cans, or pink kitchen cupboards. We don't want... well, let me just end with this thought: give us choices. That's what we really want. Choices.

Use pink in your logo, or in your advertising, in places it's truly appropriate, but don't think just because you're pinkish, that we're ponying up to purchase.

Comments

[Giusi]

We actually talked about the Pink Ribbon Campaign in one of my courses in university and how it's almost a farce.

Of course the pink ribbon means what it does.. but what are all these other products they're selling in the stores?

it's sad that companies are cashing in on it and using it as a method to sell their goods .. giving the (tiniest) percentage of sales towards the actual cause. This makes me so angry.

Pink M&Ms, pink frying pans, pink garbage bags, pink cereal, pink this, pink that.. you get the point.

(there are groups on FLickr devoted to Pink ribbon items.. and you wouldn't believe the amount of things they have on there. it makes me a little sick, i won't lie.)

So.. yes, i agree, This pink campaign has become a brand of its own and overshadowed so many other things, completely losing out its meaning. Perhaps it should be filtered out.

[Mihaela Lica]

Hi Yvonne,

Strange to leave my first comment on your blog on such a profound entry.

It really feels like companies are over-doing it with pink. Pink doesn't bother me, but I cannot picture myself wearing it. And I never bought anything in pink anyway. Not even as a teenager. What is with companies trying to push pink as a trend anyway?

As the color of femininity, is a great symbol. But from this to creating all possible household items in pink... that's too much.

I totally agree with you. I see companies using events like the breast-cancer awareness month to promote their pinkish brands. But it makes no sense to get angry about it. We just give them attention. And this way their purpose is reached.

The best policy is to ignore them. Let them be pink, if they choose. We'll just see the pink that really matters. :)

[Mary Schmidt]

Well, I've never liked that "nice girl" pinky pink (Hot pink can be fun in very limited doses). But, who could be against breast cancer research?

I'm with Michele on the marketing speak. I was in Walgreens last week to fill a prescription - and there were huge displays of everything from hair dryers to coffee mugs. All pink, all touting their altruism. How about saving a lot of their money in painting everything that goofy pink (and avoiding my irritation) and simply posting a sign saying, "During the month of October we will give X% of all sales to Breast Cancer Research."(Oh, and make that gross revenues.)

Local companies here do such things - so surely the big boys can.

[RubyShooZ]

Hi, I'm new here. I was just looking for folks from the Rochester, NY area blogging and here I am.

Actually, this is something that's important to me since I do have breast cancer but I am against the pink campaign. I have a link on my weblog for the "thinkbeforeyoupink" link. (funny it rhymes)

I guess I'm right in line with Michelle's (several) posts on the topic but I might just be a bit more avid about it.

Wishing you peace and beauty in your life today.

~ RubyShooZ ~

[Michelle]

I don't mind breast cancer awareness. I just don't like when companies claim to be so passionate about the cause but in reality, their donations are actually quite small. Personally, I cannot get that inspired to buy a "pink" coffee mug when $1 out of $16 actually goes to help breast cancer research. I'd rather just donate $15 to cancer research and then buy a $1 cup of coffee. How much of this is altruism and how much of it just helps them sell more coffee mugs?

[Michelle]

I don't mind breast cancer awareness. I just don't like when companies claim to be so passionate about the cause but in reality, their donations are actually quite small. Personally, I cannot get that inspired to buy a "pink" coffee mug when $1 out of $16 actually goes to help breast cancer research. I'd rather just donate $15 to cancer research and then buy a $1 cup of coffee. How much of this is altruism and how much of it just helps them sell more coffee mugs?

[Michelle]

I don't mind breast cancer awareness. I just don't like when companies claim to be so passionate about the cause but in reality, their donations are actually quite small. Personally, I cannot get that inspired to buy a "pink" coffee mug when $1 out of $16 actually goes to help breast cancer research. I'd rather just donate $15 to cancer research and then buy a $1 cup of coffee. How much of this is altruism and how much of it just helps them sell more coffee mugs?

[Michelle]

I don't mind breast cancer awareness. I just don't like when companies claim to be so passionate about the cause but in reality, their donations are actually quite small. Personally, I cannot get that inspired to buy a "pink" coffee mug when $1 out of $16 actually goes to help breast cancer research. I'd rather just donate $15 to cancer research and then buy a $1 cup of coffee. How much of this is altruism and how much of it just helps them sell more coffee mugs?