Posted January 30, 2008 ....to compliment the random facts thread~ i thought we should have a good Q&A thread here you can post those things that really baffle you and perhaps you'll get the answer from all these very clever forum members... ^___^ i've been wondering lately: why is it blue for a boy and pink for a girl? where did that idea originate?? ...(asked bluey) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 Guess it just kinda happened... Pink is a more feminine colour. Blue is ambivalent, but in the early stages of life, rather overlooked by girls. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 Yes but why is pink classed as a femininie colour? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 Yes but why is pink classed as a femininie colour? Because men were very stupid up until very recently, and seeing that it's a cheerfull colour, it's associated with cheer, wich was considered a weakness, and therefore, something a man should not have. The same for yellow and so on... It was reserved for women, who were seen as inferior. And it still carries on to this day. (Yes, men were assholes, we all know it). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 Apparently some baby site I just visited says that it goes back to the Roman/Greek period or something. Blue was the colour of the heavens/sky, and was supposed to protect you from all the evil in the world. And since boys were more important than girls, they were given blue clothes to protect them. To differentiate the girls from the boys, they were given pink clothes, the symbol of her biological colour. Or something like that. All I know is that for some reason unknown to me, quite some people used to reverse the colours here (so pink for boys and blue for girls) a couple of generations ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 I think it was on the James May kids toys program shown over xmas but im pretty sure it said that pink was actually associated with boys and not girls about 100 years ago Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 Apparently some baby site I just visited says that it goes back to the Roman/Greek period or something. Blue was the colour of the heavens/sky, and was supposed to protect you from all the evil in the world. And since boys were more important than girls, they were given blue clothes to protect them. To differentiate the girls from the boys, they were given pink clothes, the symbol of her biological colour. Or something like that. All I know is that for some reason unknown to me, quite some people used to reverse the colours here (so pink for boys and blue for girls) a couple of generations ago. That's more like it! Oxygen, what you're saying would only be the case if the rest of the world did that. But they don't. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 That's more like it! Oxygen, what you're saying would only be the case if the rest of the world did that. But they don't. Of course they do. That is, they did. I meant that men were very sexist up until very recently, and that was worldwide. I mean, it's only been like 55 years since the emancipation of women started to happen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 Haha! No no.... thats not what i meant. I meant the colour association. A lot of culture don't think of yellow as a weakcolour for instance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 This question has me throwing my head at the sharp corners of my chest of drawers. I guess alot of people have alot of different answers to this question. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 Haha! No no.... thats not what i meant. I meant the colour association. A lot of culture don't think of yellow as a weakcolour for instance. Oh, that... right you are. : peace: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 Apparently prior to World War II the gender colours were actually reversed. Pink is essentially a watered down red, and that's a fierce, powerful colour. Blue is more passive and dainty, marking it a more 'girly' colour. It's claimed that it has only been since the '50s that this stereotyping was turned on its head, although the exact reason why is unknown. Personally I think the situation was simply muddied prior to this time by different cultures attributing the colours in completely opposite ways due to historic or religious differences, meaning rather than pink and blue trading places universally, it was simply a case of one way becoming the standard. This change was most likely accelerated by the likes of Audrey Hepburn and indeed the Barbie doll, both of which pushed pink into being the colour bound to femininity. I've come across several myths and theories about the reasons for the colour associations, ranging from a superstitious belief that blue warded off evil spirits and so all-important male babies were clad in blue so they weren't whisked away, to the Nazis playing a part via their system of prisoner classification — as Jews were marked with the yellow Star of David, homosexuals were marked with a pink symbol, etcetera. The straightest answer you'll get will most likely be from your grandparents, memory willing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 I'd always assumed that the colour pink was somehow linked to mestruation... seems I was wrong. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 Period blood is apparently more redy-black than pink. Lets be honest :p Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 Period blood is apparently more redy-black than pink. Lets be honest :p Sorry, can't remember the last time I checked. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 What the fuck just happened? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 Haha! No no.... thats not what i meant. I meant the colour association. A lot of culture don't think of yellow as a weakcolour for instance. Yellow means you're in to watersports as far as I know. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 I'd always assumed that the colour pink was somehow linked to mestruation... seems I was wrong. Period blood is apparently more redy-black than pink. Lets be honest :p Sorry, can't remember the last time I checked. Did someone just push this thread off a very, very tall cliff? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 Aaaanyway, anyone got some sciency type questions? I'll even have a go and linguisticy ones, or anything else random... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 Did someone just push this thread off a very, very tall cliff? No Jordan walked into the room. He's a filthy boy. Actually in Victorian time pink was a boy's colour and blue was for girls. The most likely reason for the change is the barbie doll and all of the toys for girls. This question's been done now. Next question: A phobia is an irrational fear. But when people are afraid of flying they are actually afraid of crashing. Which is a pretty rational fear. So is aviaphobia (sp?) actually a phobia? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 avaiphobia sounds more like you're scared of the plane, whereas most are afraid of the flight itself.. so it could be a phobia Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 Of course they do. That is, they did. I meant that men were very sexist up until very recently, and that was worldwide. I mean, it's only been like 55 years since the emancipation of women started to happen. 55 years?! wha? Lies :P Next question: A phobia is an irrational fear. But when people are afraid of flying they are actually afraid of crashing. Which is a pretty rational fear. So is aviaphobia (sp?) actually a phobia? Depends on your definition of rational :P If it were rational, surely everyone would be scared? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 But how can you be scared of the flight itself? I'm sure that people with aviaphobia are scared of crashing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 Well considering we don't have wings, I know I dislike the feeling of moving from the ground upwards, rather than it going very quickly to the ground. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 30, 2008 Well if you're going to get into this chicken-and-the-egg-ish debate, surely tehy're not scared of the crash but of the death? HUH! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
