The more she let go, the more she bled pink-pink-pink.
July 26, 2023 7:51 AM Subscribe
Jezebel magazine explores the history and meaning behind the girliest color ever and declares that The Barbie Pink Rebellion Is Underway.
Pink is a color that lots of people feel strongly about, and the article is full of lovely stories from people who have very strong feelings about pink:
Becca O’Neal, a comedian and writer, is not allergic to that kind of thing. She wore head-to-toe Barbie pink in her last Comedy Central special as a statement about comedy’s “boys club.” And in the footsteps of Aaliyah, who O’Neal says loved to experiment with color, she’s been dying her hair pink for years. Onstage or not, it’s a proven strategy: Shirk the respectability angle, and double down on femininity within institutions that do not see the value in it. And then, go pinker.
“I used to have a joke that I dressed like a background dancer on a children’s Christian hip-hop show. Then I leaned into the high femme thing, and people do respond to me differently,” O’Neal told Jezebel. “I feel like I can sneak in a lot more anti-establishment, subversive, leftist, radical politics stuff when the look is more femme. I lean heavily into the pink, to mask what I’m really up to.”
Pink is a color that lots of people feel strongly about, and the article is full of lovely stories from people who have very strong feelings about pink:
Becca O’Neal, a comedian and writer, is not allergic to that kind of thing. She wore head-to-toe Barbie pink in her last Comedy Central special as a statement about comedy’s “boys club.” And in the footsteps of Aaliyah, who O’Neal says loved to experiment with color, she’s been dying her hair pink for years. Onstage or not, it’s a proven strategy: Shirk the respectability angle, and double down on femininity within institutions that do not see the value in it. And then, go pinker.
“I used to have a joke that I dressed like a background dancer on a children’s Christian hip-hop show. Then I leaned into the high femme thing, and people do respond to me differently,” O’Neal told Jezebel. “I feel like I can sneak in a lot more anti-establishment, subversive, leftist, radical politics stuff when the look is more femme. I lean heavily into the pink, to mask what I’m really up to.”
I feel like this needs a hat tip to Janelle Monáe.
posted by Rhedyn at 8:19 AM on July 26, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by Rhedyn at 8:19 AM on July 26, 2023 [7 favorites]
I like pink! I set my work software theme color to pink because it makes me smile.
posted by slogger at 8:23 AM on July 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by slogger at 8:23 AM on July 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
I love pink, and although my style is more chapstick lesbian currently I was high femme for years and years, with lots of pink!
posted by ellieBOA at 9:08 AM on July 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by ellieBOA at 9:08 AM on July 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
Needs the Barbiefilter tag. I mean that in a very good way.
posted by theora55 at 9:35 AM on July 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by theora55 at 9:35 AM on July 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
When is magenta making a comeback..Not a fan of pink, but the one close to flesh colorI could live with.
posted by Czjewel at 9:49 AM on July 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Czjewel at 9:49 AM on July 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
I was listening to something sports related on the radio over the 4th of July weekend, and suddenly the voice of relatively famous sports radio personality Mike ('Greenie') Greenberg came on, touting the virtues of the color blue and saying how psychological studies showed it was calming in the bedroom and bathroom etc., and then said Sherwin-Williams was having a 30% off sale on interior blue that weekend.
And then at the end if the commercial, almost as a sotto voce afterthought, that all the other colors were 30% off too.
I burst out laughing because it was clear that blue was languishing on the shelves because of the tsunami of Barbie pinkwashing surging through the US right then (and now!), and that it had risen so high as to flood even the bed and bathrooms of the hypermasculine sports-fanatic AM radio demographic. Wow!
God Only Knows what that portends, but it definitely portends something.
posted by jamjam at 10:25 AM on July 26, 2023 [5 favorites]
And then at the end if the commercial, almost as a sotto voce afterthought, that all the other colors were 30% off too.
I burst out laughing because it was clear that blue was languishing on the shelves because of the tsunami of Barbie pinkwashing surging through the US right then (and now!), and that it had risen so high as to flood even the bed and bathrooms of the hypermasculine sports-fanatic AM radio demographic. Wow!
God Only Knows what that portends, but it definitely portends something.
posted by jamjam at 10:25 AM on July 26, 2023 [5 favorites]
isn't pink the one that has calming effect ... but only at first?
Or maybe I'm just misinterpreting the available evidence.
posted by philip-random at 10:31 AM on July 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
Or maybe I'm just misinterpreting the available evidence.
posted by philip-random at 10:31 AM on July 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
Tom and Lorenzo explore cinema's use of pink and what it means.
posted by sardonyx at 10:51 AM on July 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by sardonyx at 10:51 AM on July 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
growing up i hated pink. it was all baby pink and sweet pink and pepto pink and was too "girly." even in the 90s when crazy bright totally hair barbie brought the good pinks, i hated it. something changed in my late 20s. i love pink now. bright fierce powerful pink. i don't wear it, but my nails are almost always pink, most of my accessories are pink, and most of my very large yarn stash is splashed with pink. in the lead up to the barbie movie all the yarn people and nail polish people were leaning into it hard, and i bought a LOT of fierce bright neon pink stuff.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 11:35 AM on July 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by misanthropicsarah at 11:35 AM on July 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
Pink is the color I have secretly loved my whole life but I got a lot of messaging throughout my childhood about girly things being deeply uncool and pink being the most offensive thing of all. So I have always told people that yellow is my favorite color and I do love yellow but I have also found the courage to be real about my obsession with pink.
My very favorite teacher at my very least favorite school had pink hair and also dressed only in monochrome outfits. Top, skirt, tights, shoes all in the same shade of whatever color she was feeling that day which sometimes was the same lovely dusty pink of her hair. She also was a great teacher but most of her students probably remember her for her amazing unique style.
I believe in pink so hard that I painted my bathroom a very aggressive hot pink and slapped a glitter coat on top for maximum pinkness. It makes me happy every day. Pink is the color of my dog's happy smile, of my mom's beautiful cheeks, of the river at sunset.
My husband responded to my enthusiasm for this wave of pink clothing everywhere by reminding me that thrift stores will soon be full of people's pink castoffs. The fast fashion situation is obviously totally depressing and also I can't wait to adopt all the pinks! Please give me every pink you don't have use for and I will treasure it.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 3:03 PM on July 26, 2023 [10 favorites]
My very favorite teacher at my very least favorite school had pink hair and also dressed only in monochrome outfits. Top, skirt, tights, shoes all in the same shade of whatever color she was feeling that day which sometimes was the same lovely dusty pink of her hair. She also was a great teacher but most of her students probably remember her for her amazing unique style.
I believe in pink so hard that I painted my bathroom a very aggressive hot pink and slapped a glitter coat on top for maximum pinkness. It makes me happy every day. Pink is the color of my dog's happy smile, of my mom's beautiful cheeks, of the river at sunset.
My husband responded to my enthusiasm for this wave of pink clothing everywhere by reminding me that thrift stores will soon be full of people's pink castoffs. The fast fashion situation is obviously totally depressing and also I can't wait to adopt all the pinks! Please give me every pink you don't have use for and I will treasure it.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 3:03 PM on July 26, 2023 [10 favorites]
"That said, if they made a Sad Marxist Critic With Too Many Degrees Barbie, I would buy the shit out of them."I wonder what her Metafilter handle is.
posted by clawsoon at 4:10 PM on July 26, 2023 [5 favorites]
There was a scene near the end when all the Barbies were in pink jumpsuits and then I noticed Allan in the back there in the same pink jumpsuit being one of the Barbies and my heart ballooned and my wife sitting next to me saw the same scene and without even looking at me knew what I was feeling and gave my hand a little squeeze. Pink.
posted by hypnogogue at 4:25 PM on July 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by hypnogogue at 4:25 PM on July 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
As usual, Jezebel’s piece has not actual research. Valerie Steele’s book is the definitive source. Emily Leibert is such a poor writer.
posted by Ideefixe at 4:36 PM on July 26, 2023
posted by Ideefixe at 4:36 PM on July 26, 2023
I'm glad pink is having a moment, but...
Pink was a colour for brawn and ruddy health in boys, while blue was soft and effeminate until the 1920s.
See QI Series 7: G -- Girls and Boys.
(Likewise riding heels, still a feature of cowboy boots, became a fashion at court and then feminised as high heeled footwear. The patriarchy is founded on shifting sands, ignorant of history, and you're always wrong. Whatever you do, it's not right.)
posted by k3ninho at 6:59 AM on July 27, 2023 [6 favorites]
Pink was a colour for brawn and ruddy health in boys, while blue was soft and effeminate until the 1920s.
See QI Series 7: G -- Girls and Boys.
(Likewise riding heels, still a feature of cowboy boots, became a fashion at court and then feminised as high heeled footwear. The patriarchy is founded on shifting sands, ignorant of history, and you're always wrong. Whatever you do, it's not right.)
posted by k3ninho at 6:59 AM on July 27, 2023 [6 favorites]
That said, if they made a Sad Marxist Critic With Too Many Degrees Barbie, I would buy the shit out of them
I made a Judith Butler minifig on heroforge
Also, there s a 3d print template for a Frida Kahlo action figure on one of these DnD webservices
posted by eustatic at 10:03 AM on July 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
I made a Judith Butler minifig on heroforge
Also, there s a 3d print template for a Frida Kahlo action figure on one of these DnD webservices
posted by eustatic at 10:03 AM on July 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
It s probably more feminist to make them yourself and distribute them as part of the gift economy
posted by eustatic at 10:06 AM on July 27, 2023
posted by eustatic at 10:06 AM on July 27, 2023
As usual, Jezebel’s piece has not actual research. Valerie Steele’s book is the definitive source. Emily Leibert is such a poor writer.
You mean the Valerie Steele that Leibert literally quotes and cites in this piece?
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 10:22 AM on July 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
You mean the Valerie Steele that Leibert literally quotes and cites in this piece?
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 10:22 AM on July 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
I believe in pink so hard that I painted my bathroom a very aggressive hot pink and slapped a glitter coat on top for maximum pinkness.
I had a dark hot pink bedroom as a teenager! Now I just have pale pink soft furnishings.
posted by ellieBOA at 11:27 AM on July 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
I had a dark hot pink bedroom as a teenager! Now I just have pale pink soft furnishings.
posted by ellieBOA at 11:27 AM on July 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
Funny Face (1957), "Think Pink" with Kay Thompson.
Maggie Prescott, publisher and editor for Quality, a fashion magazine: "Lettie, take an editorial! 'To the women of America...!' No, make it to the women everywhere. 'Banish the black, burn the blue, and bury the beige. From now on, girls, think pink!' "
* After the number *
Assistant Dovitch (Alex Gerry): "I haven't seen a woman in two weeks in anything but pink! What about you?"
Prescott: "Me? I wouldn't be caught dead!"
posted by TrishaU at 6:36 AM on July 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
Maggie Prescott, publisher and editor for Quality, a fashion magazine: "Lettie, take an editorial! 'To the women of America...!' No, make it to the women everywhere. 'Banish the black, burn the blue, and bury the beige. From now on, girls, think pink!' "
* After the number *
Assistant Dovitch (Alex Gerry): "I haven't seen a woman in two weeks in anything but pink! What about you?"
Prescott: "Me? I wouldn't be caught dead!"
posted by TrishaU at 6:36 AM on July 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
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