Why Pink is Only for Girls – Do Colors Have Gender?

Until the 19th century, children's clothes looked identical, regardless of gender - white, or at least light, made of natural materials, comfortable and not restricting movement, such that are easy to clean and bleach without fear of losing color. It was not only about the fact that white is a symbol of purity and innocence. It was primarily guided by practicality and the financial aspect - younger children could easily wear clothes of older siblings. It was simply important that a child's outfit differed from an adult's. Up to a certain age, the division based on gender did not matter.

Gradually, some pastels were introduced, and gender began to play a role. Interestingly, the division was exactly the opposite of what we know today.

Pink for boys, blue for girls

If you had been alive in 1918, you might have come across a trade publication called Earnshaw's Infants' Department , in which you would have read that "the generally accepted rule is to dress boys in pink and girls in blue."

At that time, red symbolized courage, strength, and power – traits stereotypically attributed to men. The color was associated with royalty, and was associated with rulers, including the figure of Jesus Christ, so important in Christian culture. Boys' clothes were therefore widely available in a whitened version of red – pink.

Blue, in turn, symbolized delicacy, modesty and purity, and therefore seemed – in accordance with social norms – an ideal proposition for girls, especially since Mary was most often depicted in blue.

As the author of the text for the portal How to Raise Girls rightly noted , from the perspective of history, the current division (pink for girls, blue for boys) could easily be considered a threat to European-Christian values ​​and support for hostile ideologies. ;)

I think you already know what I'm getting at. There is no such thing as a "girly color." The division of colors by gender has nothing to do with nature - it's purely a product of culture. And if so, it's worth taking a look at other assumptions that we have in our heads - maybe some of them are also not based on any logical argument (which, as we know, "because everyone does it" is not a good reason) and only limit us unnecessarily?

Pink for girls, blue for boys

The colors changed places around World War II. The navy blue of military uniforms caused its diluted version – blue – to become more associated with boys, while pink became a favorite of women's fashion designers, as well as celebrities of the time, such as Marilyn Monroe.

It was also significant that in the 1940s it became possible to find out the gender of the expected child while still pregnant. Future parents were happy to take this information into account when choosing a layette for their baby, and color seemed to be the ideal criterion for "personalization." Sellers of baby accessories were eager to meet the expectations of customers, sniffing out a chance to make money. And rightly so - such products were not only easier to sell, but often the same sets could be sold to the same people twice. After all, a newborn boy couldn't have pink gadgets from his older sister, right?

…

True?

What does this actually mean when it comes to a child's development?

Around 8 months of age, the baby begins to understand that it is a separate entity that does not form a unity with its mother. It recognizes its gender identity around the age of 3 to 4, but it still does not perceive it as something permanent that cannot change under the influence of external factors.

So while clothes and toys stereotypically assigned to a given gender can actually speed up the process of shaping a child's gender identity (more on this in our other article ), we should ask ourselves whether it is worth the price.

We must be aware that by decorating our daughter's room in every possible shade of pink, while consistently refusing to give our son this pink, we are indirectly conveying to both of them a very important message: there are two separate, different worlds - the female world and the male world, and between them stands a high wall, through which one is not allowed to cross for any treasure. It sounds a bit like a fragment of a fairy tale, doesn't it?

But don't many people see themselves and the people around them in this way? And do we really need the next generations adapted more to divide than to unite?

Don't get me wrong. Sure, colors are neither good nor bad in and of themselves. The real meaning here is the symbolism we assign to them. Let's think about whether by creating separate boxes - "blue" and "pink" - we are not letting children understand how different they are from each other, thereby encouraging them to see these differences themselves. Are we not by any chance suggesting that they automatically follow patterns stereotypically assigned to a given gender, for example through delicate, rescue-hungry (and therefore eternally passive) princesses and strong knights who cannot afford to cry? Are we not teaching that a girl must always be sweet and obedient, and a boy cannot be sensitive or physically weak (also about this here )? Finally, don't we ourselves feel that in many moments of life it would simply be easier for us if we did not have to constantly fit into norms established by who-knows-why?

That's why it doesn't seem like a good idea to compose your child's wardrobe solely around pink or blue. Even if strangers have trouble recognizing their gender - so what, to be completely honest? After all, neither being a girl nor a boy is something to be ashamed of .

Let's not limit children – or ourselves – to just one color.

Let's allow ourselves the whole rainbow.

A. Broadway, Pink Wasn't Always Girly , https://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/08/pink-wasnt-always-girly/278535/ [accessed on 29/06/2021].
J. Maglaty, When Did Girls Start Wearing Pink? , https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/when-did-girls-start-wearing-pink-1370097/?no-ist=&preview=&page=1 [accessed on 29/06/2021].
M. Zaraska, Princess for president, or how to raise children without stereotypes? , https://www.focus.pl/artykul/krolewna-na-prezydenta-czyli-jak-wychowac-dzieci-bez-stereotypow [accessed 30/06/2021].
Magda, Assigning colors to gender is a joke , https://jakwychowywacdziewczynki.pl/przypisanie-kolorow-do-plci/ [accessed 30/06/2021].