I AM NOT PINK

Societal Stereotypes.

-  Soumali Mukherjee

When you read the word pink what's the first thought you associate with that colour? Is it cute? Charming? Sweet? Feminine? Now, is your mind thinking it's the girly colour, the one that women love? Before you let out a sigh and scream the made-up word feminazi, let me tell you, this article is not about radical feminism. It's about the societal stereotypes that have always rear its uglier head towards women and why the expression of feminism comes across as varied sometimes and how women have found a support system in feminism, by using something basic an example, a colour: PINK!

Pink was first used as a colour name in the late 17th century. It takes its name from the flowers called 'pinks'. This shade of red before, and even after its naming remained more popular in paintings. Fast forward to many years and we land in the 1920s England when pink faced the first wave of transitioning into a 'sex differentiating colour'. Back then, it was not a feminine colour though, blue was actually associated with women because it was considered as dainty and mellow and hence was believed to reflect the very nature of females. Pink being a shade of red was thought to represent strength and was associated with men. Pretty ironic, right?