It's the eternal question. How should we, as gadget connoisseurs, feel when manufacturers slap a pink coat of paint on their product and declare it For Girls? New research means that we should embrace this, as some researchers at Newcastle University have discovered that we're genetically predisposed to choose pink if we're a girl and blue if we're a boy. When presented with two blocks, one yellow and one blue, all the human lab rats went for blue. But when the choice was red/green, the girls went for red, and the boys for green. Ergo, girls like pink (and blue, actually, but that's not as media friendly a story).
Initially on reading this research, I was horrified. As if gender roles weren't rigid enough, we now have to fight against the 'it's genetic' argument. And then I looked at the site. And I had a slight change of heart.
I'm by no means a girly-girl - I live in jeans and converse trainers most of the time. But I like the pink design of Shiny Shiny. And in that picture up there? That's a pink scarf. And my diary? Pink. The laptop we've just been cooing over in the office? Pink. Pink. Pink. Pink.
There is of course an evolutionary theory behind the research, with the suggestion being that women had to be able to pick out red berries when foraging so are more sensitive to it now. This should set many people's mind's at rest, since it seems we're not forcing little girls to play with pink toys, but they are naturally more drawn to them. And equally, Motorola were just catering to a natural preference when they started the Pink Electronics Revolution with the pink Razr all that time ago.
Regardless of whether pink is genetic or culturally enforced, there are a lot bigger problems facing kids today. Role models like Paris Hilton. Sneaky marketing for unhealthy food. A lack of activities to keep them from causing mischief.
It might be that girls do prefer pink, but it's true to say that they like a lot of other colours as well. There's an active Green Appreciation Society on the Shiny Shiny forums, and a Blue Brigade. I suspect it's the case that as we mature, we diversify our tastes - I wouldn't choose a pink mobile now, but as a young teen it was my prize possession. And what's wrong with that? A bit of pink never hurt anyone.
Susi Weaser is the editor of Shiny Shiny and was forced to play with pink My Little Pony's as a child.
I don't understand how this research, as reported, shows that the choice is genetic?
Could we not put it down to psychological conditioning over time? I.e. from the moment a baby is born we condition it - pink clothes for baby girls, blue for boys...
Was there something more in the research than suggested here?
The research looked at UK kids vs Chinese kids, where apparently there isn't the same 'blue for boys, pink for girls' culture (although I'd argue that some parts of Asia have a similar culture - they brought us Hello Kitty after all).