When Did Pink Become a Feminine Color?
Pink's association with femininity is a relatively recent development, not a timeless truth. While often assumed to be an ancient tradition, the shift happened primarily in the mid-20th century.
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Pre-1900s: Historically, color associations were fluid. In Victorian times, for instance, pink was actually considered a more masculine color than blue. Boys often wore pink, reflecting its association with red, a strong and powerful color.
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Early 1900s: The early 1900s saw a gradual shift. However, the change wasn't sudden or universally adopted. Publications like Earnshaw's Infants' Department in 1918 still declared pink for boys and blue for girls, highlighting the ongoing fluidity.
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Mid-20th Century: The post-World War II era saw the definitive shift. The baby boomers of the 1940s were the first generation dressed in distinctly gendered clothing. Marketing and retail establishments solidified the association of pink with girls and blue with boys. This association was heavily influenced by the post-war focus on traditional gender roles. Mamie Eisenhower's embrace of pink in the 1950s further cemented this trend.
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1970s and Beyond: The women's liberation movement of the 1960s and 70s saw a slight dip in the rigid enforcement of pink as a feminine color. However, the association remained strong, and pink continues to be predominantly marketed toward girls and women into the 21st century.
Misconceptions and Further Considerations:
It's crucial to note that the association of pink with femininity wasn't a natural or inevitable evolution. It was a socially constructed phenomenon driven by marketing, cultural shifts, and the reinforcement of traditional gender roles. The idea that Hitler's use of the pink triangle to identify homosexuals influenced this association is incorrect; the color's association with femininity was already well-established by that time.
