In the Pink

Stories in the Daily Iowan during the past two days have covered the developing controversy over a tradition at the University of Iowa: the visitor’s locker rooms are decorated in pink. According to the Iowa football coach, pink is a calming color. However, some critics, including most notably an adjunct law lecturer, are calling for a whitewashing (!) of sorts. They contend that pink is “sexist” and “homophobic”.

I am not a big fan of pink myself, though with the right tie a pink shirt could be attractive. To tell you the truth, I don’t really pay much attention to the colors of the walls around me. My house is a pale yellow. For some folks, being called yellow would involve an exchange of fighting words. I guess I just think it looks nice. I do try not to be blue, though I like wearing it.

Will this emerge as the next PC battleground? Does singling out one color make one a “colorist”? And would that be bad? Keep in mind a good number of us are pink for at least a portion of the summer. Is there something wrong with that? Perhaps this is another reason to wear sunscreen. And what about green, for that matter. Anyone who has listened to Kermit the Frog knows that green has its own burdens.

The merchants in Iowa City are not passing up an opportunity, though. Today’s story indicates that tee-shirt merchants are selling out of pink merchandise and ordering more. It seems a lot of fans want to stand in solidarity with the tradition. The merchants just want to make a buck by meeting these customer demands. This is a great country, no?

As for the pink color, I wonder if adding a floral pattern would be even more calming. After all, who needs all that aggression on the field! (Oops – I guess it is football season.)

EAM