February 27, 2003
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Pink is Hardcore
“If you wear a pink shirt, people are gonna think you’re gay.”
Well I am gay, so fuck you.
The color to wear this spring is the lovely color pink. Yaay. Working at Banana Republic, we recently received our spring lineup, which consists an array of different shades of pink. From ice pink to creamy pink to obnoxious hardcore fucking fuscia pink. Realizing that pastel colors match well with my skin tone, I thought to myself “I should purchase a pink shirt and ignore the fact that I’ve become a total LA fashion victim.” So I juggled with the issue.
I spoke to some of my coworkers about this impending issue. “People will think you’re gay.” Hmm… that would be the end all, wouldn’t it? So I immediately mail ordered a Pink Solid Broadcloth Long-sleeved Shirt from J. Crew, style number 58786 (the one at BR didn’t fit well to my liking).
Once I received my pink wonder, I placed it onto my olive skinned body and looked at myself in the mirror. Somewhat satisfied with my purchase, I began to talk to some of friends to see what they thought. “I dunno about pink on guys.” “Pink isn’t exactly masculine.” “Guys in pink shirts are all gay.”
Alright now… are people trying to tell me that Pink shirts equal homosexuality? Now lets think about this stupid construction of a color that has been encoded with a particular social meaning. Pink has always been associated with little newborn baby girls as a label to distinguish what gender it is. Since it’s associated with that, pink will forever be associated to everything female. I mean, from women’s deodorant, to Dove bars, to tampon boxes. This is stupid. How is it that people see the color for its social value than it’s actual color? People are immediately reading the context of the color pink by its connotative meaning, as opposed to its actual denotative meaning: a red color with a little white paint mixed into it.
I suggest to start a Pink is Hardcore campaign to socially manipulate the hegemonic modes of color labeling. Pink will now be the standard color of working tools… which include the drill, the hacksaw, and the monkey wrench. Bull riding saddles, footballs, and cigars will vary in diffrent shades of pink including fuscia. Hardcore rappers will normally wear pink velure as a statement of authenticity of urban street life.
Now… is Pink really gay or is it just a light pigment of red? Whatever… colorblind people don’t have this issue.
pink is fucking hardcore…. Xanga Premium trial expires in 24 hours. Enjoy while you can.
Comments (18)
u have taken a xanga hiatus but im glad to b able to read the writings of an intellectual…uber kul…
I had a similar feeling but it was directed toward brand names such as Banana Republic, GAP, Abercombie&Fitch, Guess, A|X, Liz Clairborne, and DKNY to name a few. But I digress. I think it’s mostly the individual’s own bias dictating the notion that pink connotes homosexuality. If I were to wear a pink shirt and were questioned, I would redirect the query to ask why would the individual recognize something gay. Most often an insecure individual would feel threatened and change the course of the dialogue soon after. If not, I’d say, “hey, do you like this pink shirt? What are you trying to tell me?” I once wore a purple tie in highschool and thought nothing of it. I just wanted to wear a tie, and the fact that it was purple did not affect myself or anyone else. Or so I think…
it takes a REAL man to wear pink. just my opinion. more power to ya.
(btw, it looks GREAT on you)
when i worked at BR… it never bothered me if a guy wore pink or not. Actually, I think the color you got is pretty cool actually… I think peopel tend to manipulate the idea of pink only suited for “girly-girls” or just “crooked” people.. hehe.
If you like the shirt, then it pretty much shouldnt matter what other people think. Just think about it… I mean.. i wore yellow before to work.. i looked like a big ass sunflower.. but eh.. it was all good hehe. Now I have downgraded to working at GAP.. sniff..
later
say what??
smacking? what the friggs is that? ew
Aw. The shirt looks fine! It’s true though…most of my girl friends fear the color pink… they would rather die than be seen wearing or owning anything in such a “girly” color. Grah. I am not a big fan of pink either, but I can wear some pink and not make a fuss about it. My favorite teacher, Mr. O, has a pink shirt…he’s damn awesome, BUT many people question his sexuality around here…eh. Also. On our 8th grade graduation dance, some kids signed a petition to get this boy to wear a pink suit. It was really odd. And now that’s how people remember him. -.-; Actually. I forget what the point I was getting at here..so…I’ll just drop off my props and get going…
And. Uh. You wear the color angst very well, if I do say so myself..
YAY!
That was a great suggestion about the whole roomate issue thing! Thank you much! As for pink I love the color. I hate how it is catagorized as a feminine color. Women have broken the color gap with blue so why not break it with pink! Men of all sexual orientation should be able to wear it! And do i know you? I am pretty sure I do. If you are the same buddy who goes to my school let me know.
Wow, I like when people come to my website for no reason and give me props. It makes my day. You seem like a neato guy. I sure do have a thing for asian gays – so full of angst, so bitter that they are disregarded in the gay community…yes, it’s fucked up, isn’t it? Thanks again for the head-tilt props…thank god somebody can appreciate dumb bullshit!
I JUST READ THE REST OF YOUR POSTS AND I FIND THEM INTERESTING AND QUITE AMUSING. I HAVEN’T HAD ENOUGH RELATIONSHIPS WITH GAYS, MAYBE NOT EVEN ENOUGH EXPOSURE TO THEM TO HAVE A REAL OPINION ABOUT IT, BUT I FIND IT INTERESTING. I’M SURE YOU GET TIRED OF HEARING THAT SO I’LL JUST SHUT UP. BUT I WILL DEFINITELY READ YOUR POSTS SO KEEP POSTING!
Hi there… Very entertaining site. Seriously, you should have your own newspaper/mag column. Wear that pink with pride!
- Suyoung’s roommate, Sheryl
jason!! hey
this is keiko… i hardly see you anymore but i’ve found proof that youre still alive. hehe i really like your posts!!
doodoowoman took said what i wanted to say already…
but all just go on and say it anyway.
yay.
Well to help spread your message ‘PINK IS HARDCORE’, Imma gonna post your rant on my page. I think it makes some really good points…I ain’t neva really given it any thought, but then again maybe that ideal is so ingrained in societal thinking that it’s become imprinted into our subconscious. I mean I know I don’t own anything pink…Big Ups for being Man Enough to wear it…
I’ll stick to my ganja, thank you. DNB & E, don’t mix!
Smoke ‘em, if ya got ‘em…
i dont know man, that curling iron and loads of hairspray thing sounds pretty fun.
I was all good up ’til the last part, where you say colorblind people don’t have this problem, cus they do. After all, pink being gay is a connotative concept, not denotative; therefore, it is not based on whether or not you see it, but what society has taught you, and society teaches colorblinds the same thing about all the colors that it teaches people with color vision. Further, although they don’t see the hue, they do see the contrast (I might be mixing up the two), so after 50 billion people tell them that pink is gay and for girly girls, they’ll learn to recognize whether or not it’s appropriate for them.
Thanks for y’all’s comments! I appreciate your viewpoints.
As for the whole colorblind comment, it wasn’t suppose to be a serious statement. It was just throwing in a light comment to a somewhat trivial matter. Impulsive, I know. Whoopa.
Peace, y’all.