Macho Pink Revolution

Macho Pink Revolution 

Why do boys play with cars and meccano and girls play with dolls?   Or why are girls rooms often painted pink and boys rooms painted blue?  Is it nature or nurture?  How many times have we heard that a man wearing pink is getting in touch with his feminine side?   Does that mean then that girls wearing blue are getting touch with their masculine side?  It would seem that for some time we have been obsessed with genderising the colour pink

Assigning pink to a gender probably began in the first quarter of the 20^th Century.  An article in the trade publication Earnshaws Infants’ Department in 1918 said “generally accepted rule is pink for the boys and blue for the girls.  The reason being that pink, being the stronger colour, is more suitable for a boy.  While blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for a girl”.  This thinking remained the trend up to the 1940s. However, from the 1940s the social trend has been inverted.        

Pink is often considered as a colour of happiness that can be sensual and passionate without being too aggressive. This tranquilising effect of pink has been used in the psychology of sport and at Iowa's Kinnick Stadium the away team’s changing rooms are painted pink because it is considered that pink encourages friendliness and discourages aggression and ill will; not the qualities expected of an American football team. 

But there is something of a pink revolution going on at the moment, in fact there probably has been for a while.  Pink is no longer the preserve of females it is also fast becoming a man’s colour as well – truly unisex.  In fact it has also been said that pink stimulates energy and increases: blood pressure, respiration, heart beat and pulse rate. So with that in mind, let’s return to sport.  In 2005 Stade Francais shocked the macho world of Rugby Union by wearing pink away jerseys.  Stade Francais is one of the top European Rugby Union sides, boasting a number of internationally capped players from across the globe.  Now would you tell Sergio Parisse (pictured) that he is a “girlie” for wearing pink?   Ironically Cardiff Blues Rugby team also have a pink away kit and Oxford University Rugby Club (dark blues) recently played and beat the Royal Air Force (light blue) the student team was wearing pink    

Is not just rugby union that has taken to pink an amateur rugby league side, Slaithwaite Saracens are sporting pink flowers on their team shirts. Furthermore, Harlequins, Saint Helens and Leeds Rhinos Rugby League teams can also call upon a pink kit.   Bradford City Football Club has just unveiled their away pink kit.  Interesting there are a number of uncomplimentary and sexist comments on various fans’ forums, perhaps those fans should be introduced to Sergio and his mates!  In Italy the Palermo Football Club wear pink home jerseys and the leader of the Giro d’ Italia cycle race wears pink.    

Of course many of the teams, including some already mentioned,  that  wear pink kit  as an alternative to their normal strip generously do so in support of  Breast Cancer Charities.  In the USA October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and teams from many of the top sporting leagues, such as the NFL, proudly wear pink during their matches.  The  Australian Cricket Team for example were pictured wearing pink “baggy hats” at the final Ashes test in Sidney  in support of Glen McGrath’s Foundation.  However, the colour pink in cricket goes beyond the players hats, pink may have some technical merits and trials are in progress with a view to using a pink cricket ball for day/ night test matches.    

So pink is macho, hardened athletes wear it and beautiful elegant folk also enjoy it.  Don’t get fooled by pink, it may be the colour of love and passion and the epitome of elegance but it has a darker more edgy side that  just may surprise you. Carry on with the pink revolution.

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Pink Leap of Faith

I am sure you have heard of the Iron Man challenge which is said to have broken the hearts, minds and bodies of many.  But for those of you who have completed Iron Man, the toughest of toughest, I have a new ordeal to test your strength and will.  Imagine yourself on a 100 mile non- stop run without refreshment where at every mile or so you will have to run the wrong way up a London Underground escalator during rush hour and then leap over a 12 foot wall.  And just to make sure that it is testing enough you will be running against a 70 mph wind. Oh I nearly forgot, during the challenge, at regular intervals,  people will be tempting you with food, take a nibble and you will be yanked unceremoniously  from the challenge and man handled in an undignified and painful way in a tank of water where you will not be able to draw breath.        

With this in mind you may get some idea of what a wild salmon goes through in order to spawn:  swim for hundreds of miles up a river, taking on rapids, dams (leaping as high as 12 ft), pollution and fishermen and what is worse by the time they have spawned only about 10% make it back to the sea, the rest die.   Typically salmon are born in fresh water and migrate to the ocean, then a few years later when they are strong and well fed they return to fresh water to spawn.   Folk law would have it that the fish will return to the exact same spot where they were born in order to spawn.  When they start their journey they are fat and fed and at their most delicious ready for the dinner table or for them the ultimate challenge.

Salmon is one of our most versatile foods; it is healthy and tastes delicious when prepared in a number different ways, for example: baked, boiled, barbequed, grilled, poached and smoked. Indeed such is its versatility that it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner or served as a snack.  The health benefits are plentiful salmon is high in protein, omega 3, and vitamin D.

 The wild salmon’s exploits are impressive but for most of us we have to be content with farmed salmon which is still delicious but does not quite have the pedigree.  None the less when you are eating a splendid salmon dish and washing it down with a rosé perhaps spare a thought for the toughest of the toughest and the real iron man challenge.   For links to salmon recipes go to www.strictlypinkstuff.com