This is a comment by The_L on the post “Playing Hard to Get“.
“The way we speak both influences and is influenced by the way we look at the world. It’s a strong part of our culture.
“Mild example of this feedback loop: we call pink a ‘girly’ color, and companies market mostly-pink toys and clothes to little girls. This results in more girls liking pink. Because girls tend to like pink, its association with femininity is reinforced, and companies continue to market mostly-pink toys and clothes to little girls.
“Less pleasant (and possibly triggering) example of this feedback loop: Openly-gay people are ostracized in society. This leads bullies to call Josh, an unpopular kid, a ‘fag’ as an insult, whether Josh is actually gay or not. Continued homophobic bullying of this sort drives Josh into such a deep depression that he commits suicide. Because teens like Josh commit suicide due to being called ‘fags,’ he becomes part of the statistic that teens who are gay or perceived as gay have a high suicide rate. Certain unsavory types of political conservative use this high suicide rate as ‘proof’ that something is horribly wrong with gay people, which leads to openly-gay people being ostracized in society.”
Photo credit: Flickr / LauraLewis23
Pink Fishing Rods? I recently went shopping at one of the big box stores and decided to browse the fishing equipment aisle looking for sales. With my wife by my side I turned around and spotted a rather nice looking, well-made, pink fishing rod. My reaction was “isn’t that great”. This should make more girls amenable to fishing. My wife’s reaction was a resounding Bullshit! And she walked out of the store obviously upset and angry. How could this be? I felt confident that this was a good thing and that it would promote fishing among the young girls. Her… Read more »
Seriously?
If a girl wants to fish, she won’t care what color the rod is.
If a girl doesn’t want to fish, then the pinkest fishing supplies on earth won’t change her mind.
“…teens who are gay or perceived as gay have a high suicide rate.” – well this is true not only in perception but in reality, if your case is true, but of course the reason is not because they are gay but because they are being bullied. I have not seen or heard yet of a politician who argues that the high suicide rate of gays is a proof that something is wrong with them. Certainly not the presidential. Still if this is true, I don’t think that politicians not doing that would have impact of lowering the ostracizing of… Read more »
“I have not seen or heard yet of a politician who argues that the high suicide rate of gays is a proof that something is wrong with them.” Then you’ve never paid attention to the state of Texas or to hate groups like the FRC, NOM, and Focus on the Family. The hate groups in question pose as Christian religious groups; they do not whitewash any of this. Any means of celebrating ANY form of diversity is viewed as “pushing the homosexual agenda.” Anti-bullying? “Pushing homosexuality on our children.” And yes, they use the higher suicide rate among gay teens… Read more »
I know all you are stating but the point I made is still there, even scientist know them. Yes color has cultural part but they have psychological basis as well. This culture/psychology stuff is like the egg and chicken argument. It is just that one influences the other. And to you other statements: >pink is a tint of red but it is not red. just think, you probably would not accept a pink paint when you have asked for red. You might accept engine red of scarlet but not pink. But I do agree that red is a manly color… Read more »