A pink date

FUNKE ADETUTU
As a little girl, I grew up to believe that pink is a girly colour not something befitting for a male. But as I grow older and with the various literary theories I was bombarded with in school, I discovered that such view is rooted in one of those patriarchal beliefs that certain norms and stuffs are for women and not men. These are biases that we have unconsciously internalised which the society have accepted as the norm.

The society believes pink is the colour of universal love. Hence, love is a women affair and not for men? Pink no doubt is a quiet colour and women are expected to be the passive kinds. Lovers of beauty favour pink, beauty is associated with women, hence they must like pink. A pink carnation means “I will never forget you” the women are ‘men-wrapper.’ These are some of the different ways women have been classified as a result of cultural biases deeply-rooted in patriarchy.

Abroad, there is a Pink Energy Pink which is a combination of red and white. The quality of energy in pink is determined by how much red is present. Since colour White is the potential for fullness, the red helps you to achieve that potential. Pink combines these energies. Shades of deep pink, such as magenta, are effective in neutralising disorder and violence. Some prisons use limited deep pink tones to diffuse aggressive behaviour. Pink provides feelings of caring, tenderness, self-worth and love, acceptance. “Put some pink in your life when you want: calm feelings that neutralise disorder relaxation acceptance, contentment.”

However, the society have come to accept these classifications such that women have consciously accepted these biases. Therefore, anything that has to do with women is synonymous with colour pink. The first example that comes to mind is the BankPHB Pink Account. Again, Pink is associated with the woman. She loves luxury and the good things of life; as if men don’t want such things too. And then, the upcoming ‘Pink Ball’ event for cancer awareness is associated with colour pink. Such is the life of the woman!

One thing that struck my mind while meditating over this, is the fact that there could be some kind of synergy between the pink associations, if you’ll permit me to call it that. Why can’t BankPHB and the Pink Ball organised by Genevieve Magazine do something together on breast cancer awareness since it’s all about the woman? The BankPHB Pink Account could do something for women in that regard as they’ll need all the support they can get to combat this dreadful disease called cancer. The life of the woman after all, is truly in danger.

Two nights ago, I saw an advert on TV urging charitable Nigerians to donate some money for a female breast cancer victim. It was really pathetic. I was sad when I saw how a once beautiful pair of breasts have now been eaten up by cancer. As the Pink Ball comes up later this month, I hope the Pink Account owners would consider doing something for women in this regard. It’s a about the enemy of their lives which could be silenced, at least with a Pink date.

FEEDBACK!
I am an Indian and I have been living in Nigeria for the past five years. BBC and CNN journalists have been rubbishing India, may be sub-consciously, but I hadn't expected a Nigerian sister to portray India so badly in her article published last Friday under the title, "Incredible India."
I am a trained journalist and I have been published by BusinessDay on five occasions and hence, I am sure that my views would merit your attention.
You wrote so dangerously about the caste system in India. Caste system is still prevalent in India but discrimination based upon caste, creed or colour is a punishable offence in India. Most often, non-bailable arrest warrants are issued if anyone is found indulging in such acts.
In industrial India and the urban India (50 percent) people of my generation don't bother about which caste you belong to and my daughter's generation doesn't even know what caste system is all about!
India is a vast country and our Prime Minister is a Sikh by religion. The community that practices Sikhism constitutes less than 1 percent of India's population. The leader of the ruling party (Indian National Congress) is an Italian-born Christian and Christians constitute less than 3 percent of India's population.
Our Vice President is a Muslim and the immediate past President was a Muslim too. Muslims form less than 16 percent of India's population. You also wrote that India is a country that practices "Sati." Sorry Tutu, we are not a nation that puts its widows on the funeral pyre.
In the last 50 years, the number of Sati cases is less than five! Your column is widely read and it helps people form an opinion about India. I really plead with you to exercise caution my sister.
Sudhir Bisht
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