Pink for girls — do they really love it?
Modern civilization tends to associate colors with gender. So pink, red and purple became more feminine than any other color we know. When expecting a baby, people in many cultures want to get to know its gender beforehand, so that they can buy clothes and prepare the nursery in proper colors. Last few years we could notice a trend to decorate children’s room in neutral colors (gray, white, beige), but still we are not eager to make a pink room for a boy. And what if your son loves pink more than your daughter?
The name of pink color comes from the name of a flower, formerly known as pastel red (Dianthus plumarius) that blooms with tiny lovely pink blossoms. When it comes to children, the color was previously worn by… little boys! As Britannica says:
“ At the beginning of the 20th century, some stores began suggesting “sex-appropriate” colors. In 1918 the trade publication Earnshaw’s Infants’ Department claimed the “generally accepted rule is pink for the boys, and blue for the girls. The reason is that pink, being a more decided and stronger color, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl.” Additionally, a 1927 issue of Time noted that large-scale department stores in Boston, Chicago, and New York suggested pink for boys. This trend of pink for boys was not as overwhelming as our current color-sex designation, however.” [by: Cydney Grannan]
As we can see now, trends have reversed. Do our girls really love pink, or we just make them to love it? In the culture this color is often associated with romantic things, charm, sweetness, tenderness, politeness and sensitivity. All those features are what we want our girls to be. But we also want them to be strong, independent, able to express themselves. We want to teach them how to grow up and survive in the world, that is sometimes really cruel. Pink puts them at ease, make them feel like special, loved and keep to them close to their subtle emotions. It triggers natural need for kindness.
Pink can bring lots of good to your daughter’s life, but, as everything in this world, we shouldn’t exaggerate it’s role. Let your little girl choose her perfect way of expressing herself, even if you imagined her among pink peonies, and her favorite color is black, there’s a way to make every dream come true, not forcing standard solutions. Creativity and good way of expressing oneself by your child begins in the environment he or she grows in. Make it special and helpful, not overwhelming.
