There has long been a perception that certain colors are associated with different genders. Blue is seen as a color for boys, while pink is considered more feminine. But where do these color-gender associations come from? Are they based in science or simply cultural stereotypes? This article will explore the history and meaning behind gendered colors.
Historical Origins of Gendered Colors
For much of history, color preferences were not strongly gendered. In medieval and Renaissance Europe, blue was seen as a delicate, precious, and even feminine hue associated with the Virgin Mary. Pink was the color of boys until the early 20th century. So how did our current color-gender divide arise?
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, mass production of children’s clothing led to the current associations. A June 1918 article from trade publication Earnshaw’s Infants’ Department said blue was “a much more delicate and dainty tone” for girls while pink was “more suitable for the boy.” This was influenced by the French preference for dressing girls in blue as a delicate color. Boys wore pink as it was seen as a watered down red, a fierier and more masculine color.
20th Century Reversal and Solidification of Gendered Colors
In the 1940s, manufacturers settled on pink for girls and blue for boys as it fit better with prevailing gender norms. The change corresponded with psychologists linking color preference to gendered traits like passivity and aggression. Retailers like Sears reinforced the gendered marketing. By the 1950s, pink for girls and blue for boys was an entrenched, though arbitrary, cultural norm.
Meanings Behind “Gendered” Colors
Beyond historical associations, colors have symbolic meanings that may underlie perceptions of masculinity and femininity:
| Color | Meaning | Perceived Gender Association |
|---|---|---|
| Pink | Gentle, romantic, feminine | Feminine |
| Blue | Stable, calm, strong | Masculine |
| Red | Exciting, aggressive, passionate | Masculine |
| Purple | Royal, mystical, wisdom | Feminine |
Pink is seen as delicate and gentle, stereotypically feminine traits. Blue connotes stability and strength, masculine qualities. However, these are cultural interpretations of color meaning.
Gender Differences in Color Preference
Some research has explored whether gender differences in color preference have a biological basis. In studies, women on average prefer reddish-purple hues while men prefer blue-green. Preferences may be influenced by evolution, with women liking reddish tones that signaled ripe fruit and fire, and men preferring colors associated with navigation for hunting.
However, other studies find few consistent gender differences in color preference. Culture likely plays a bigger role than biology in determining gendered color associations. Differences in male and female color preference are small compared to individual variation within genders.
Gender Identity and Color Preference
For transgender and non-binary individuals, color preference may affirm gender identity in a non-conforming way. For example, a trans woman may gravitate to pink not due to a biological predisposition, but because the color affirms her sense of femininity.
Age Differences in Gendered Color Meaning
Younger generations may have more fluid attitudes toward gendered colors. An increasing number of parents allow children to choose colors they like rather than conforming to traditional gender norms. Some children’s brands like Hill City are marketing more gender-neutral clothing.
However, strongly gendered marketing of children’s products persists, ingraining color-gender divides in younger kids. So preferences likely remain divided along traditional binary conceptions of pink and blue.
Cultural Variation in Color Meaning
While pink and blue have strongly gendered meanings in the U.S., meanings vary across cultures:
| Culture | Feminine Color | Masculine Color |
|---|---|---|
| China | Red | Blue |
| India | Red | Blue |
| Japan | Red, Pink | Blue, Black |
| Mexico | Pink | Blue, Black |
While blue maintains masculine connotations, feminine colors like red and pink vary. This demonstrates the cultural fluidity of gendered color associations.
Challenging Gender Norms in Colors
Strongly dividing colors by a masculine-feminine binary can reinforce rigid conceptions of gender. However, color preferences are highly personal and do not inherently denote gender identity. Ways to challenge gendered color perceptions include:
– Letting children independently choose preferred colors of clothing/toys
– Using a mix of color in children’s products besides pink/blue
– Women embracing blue publicly as a power color
– Men feeling comfortable wearing pink shades
– Brands marketing products like pink tools to women
– Recognizing colors have unlimited meanings beyond masculine/feminine
Conclusion
While historical and cultural associations have created perceptions of pink as feminine and blue as masculine, these connections are not immutable or scientific fact. Gendered colors are social constructs that can change over time as attitudes evolve. People should feel free to enjoy colors based on personal preference, not preconceived gender norms. Rather than dividing by binary masculine or feminine meanings, colors can have a variety of complex connotations that defy rigid categorization.