Feminist Friday: The Balls to Wear Pink

It's Friday again, so remember to go check out Feminist Friday TransAtlantic Blonde. This week has a theme: fashion. This one made me scratch my head a little bit and then my husband walked by. There he was, sporting one of his favorite shirts. What color is it? Pink. Yup, Jony wears pink. Not only does he wear it, but he wears it proudly and looks down upon those that refuse to.

I'm not entirely sure how wearing pink ties into feminism, but I suppose it has something to do with the fact that, by disregarding the societal view that pink is for girls alone, men who wear pink are reinforcing their thought that women and men are equal. It's a strange concept for me that people refuse to wear a certain color, especially since blue used to be the "girl" color. Pink is considered a strong color, which alone should be a source of pride for women! I really just don't get why people care so much about what they wear. Are they afraid people will think they're a girl because they're in a pink shirt? Or that they're homosexual? The ladder is the excuse I often hear. Really, though? It's just a color. Goodness.

I'm a part of an organization (Odyssey of the Mind) which is typically geared towards those in Gifted and Talented classes (although anyone can participate, for sure). We thought it would be fun to have the Officials t-shirt last year be a bright and beautiful pink. I loved the idea! Texas is a big state (duh), and it would be another way to really stand out at World Finals. Did I expect the backlash that would occur? Absolutely not, especially from parents, teachers and volunteers of such an organization where thinking outside of the box is the norm. Some men refused to wear it and, instead, just draped it over their shoulders. Some wore a sticker that said, "This shirt is actually light red." It was absurd. Being in charge of one of the venues, I did not allow such ridiculousness. I made them suck it up and wear the shirt. They were adults after all (arguable). I was proud that I was married to a man that thought it no big deal to sport a pink shirt. I'll be honest that he looks pretty good in pink, too, being of the red color persuasion that he is. ;)

Basically, I want Jeffrey to grow up to realize that pink is an acceptable color to his wardrobe (and, since he is also of the red persuasion, will be one that looks good on him like his father) and be proud to wear it. Just like his daddy, I want him to question why the heck he wouldn't wear a color. I want him to be able to embrace his feminine side and be secure enough in his manhood that he won't fear how others view him. I want him to have the balls to wear pink.