Being a cis man and liking the color pink
I recently discovered that I really like the color pink. Not just in clothing, but in general. It’s actually one of the main colors in this blog, and that’s not a coincidence.
I love it for accessories like phone cases or console controllers. I like pairing pink with other colors I love, like black or purple, in my phone’s interface or wallpaper. I love seeing it in paintings by my favorite artists. One of my favorite shirts is pink with little black boats printed on it, and I think it looks REALLY good paired with black jeans.
I’d like to have more opportunities to use pink in my life, but my dumb cis-man brain was raised to believe that it’s a “girl’s color,” a color for weak people, overly emotional people, or just anyone with feminine traits. In clothing, it’s still somewhat acceptable. But picking a pink phone case, sneakers, or PlayStation controller—when there are so many other color options—would probably make a few people raise an eyebrow… and maybe a little pride flag along with it. 🏳️🌈
But seriously, what kind of absolute bullshit is that? The idea that colors belong to a specific gender is one of the most ridiculous aspects of gender roles. This rigid, outdated notion that certain colors are “for boys” and others are “for girls” is just absurd. That we’re supposed to dress in specific shades based on what we are? Yeah, no.
I get that color psychology serves a purpose, and I respect that. I see clothing as a form of self-expression. But it’s insane to deprive ourselves of something as simple as a color—something that could bring us joy—just because it’s not “appropriate for our gender.” Colors are aesthetic choices that can say a lot about us, but none of that necessarily has anything to do with our gender or sexual orientation.
Pink isn’t my favorite color, but it’s definitely in my top three. Little by little, I’ve been incorporating it into my life, but I won’t lie—it’s been tough. Not because I actually care what people think of me, but because of these outdated, deeply ingrained beliefs that have been drilled into my brain after decades of associating pink with all the nonsense I mentioned above.
The idea that I would’ve had to be born a woman to fully enjoy certain colors? That’s just crazy.
Thanks for reading.