BARBIE'S Hue: The Colorful Impact of World War and Hitler on Pink and Blue

Last week, the world was immersed in pink as the Barbie movie hit the theatres. What's interesting is the extensive use of the color pink, not just in dresses but also in representation. The movie incorporated pink in various aspects, leading to a rumor that designers utilized such copious amounts of pink that it contributed to a global shortage. The Barbie movie and posters prominently feature the use of both pink and blue as gender-specific colors.

In the characters' poster above, it is evident that the posters of females are predominantly designed with shades of red (with Barbie, the girl, portrayed in pink). On the other hand, males are depicted with darker colors (with Ken, the guy, represented in blue).

Not only did the movie's poster use colors to represent specific genders/characters, but the film itself portrayed Barbie's world as a pink heaven with Ken, dressed in blue jeans and a blue jacket, just living in it.

But who gave Barbie her pink dress? And how pink became the color for girls and blue for boys? What if we tell you, Hitler did it all?

It was not until the mid-20th century that the pink-for-girls and blue-for-boys conventions became widespread. Before that time, the color associations were somewhat reversed. During the early 20th century, pink was often considered a more suitable color for boys due to its perceived similarity to red, which was associated with strength and vigor. Blue, being a more delicate and serene color, was frequently chosen for girls.

Until the end of the Victorian era, most babies and young children were typically dressed in white. However, as photographs from the early years of the 20th century reveal, there was a gradual introduction of color in children's clothing. Following World War I, there was a notable shift in baby colors towards pastel shades. Pink and blue, along with other pastel colors, became popular choices for baby clothing in the early 20th century. However, these two colors were not initially promoted as specific gender signifiers until just before World War I, and even then, the association was not strictly defined.

Here's how we know it. Horizon blue, the symbol of the Poilu of World War I, was the blue-gray uniform of French metropolitan troops from 1915 through 1921. British hospital uniforms often worn by women were also Blue in color. The role of World War in the history of color is more than that. Though not mentioned anywhere in the records, many psychologists believe that the government also encouraged pastel colors for babies because it calmed the soldiers returning from the traumatic war.

In June 1918, the trade publication Earnshaw’s Infants’ Department made reference to colors as gender signifiers: “The generally accepted rule is pink for the boys and blue for the girls. The reason is that pink, being a more decided and stronger color, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl.” The same month, the Ladies’ Home Journal published an article claiming the same. This color association continued till the WW2 era when a man changed everything.

Adolf Hitler decided to alter the existing beliefs completely. As with everything else, his influence over colors is also substantial. Hitler ordered the classification of homosexuals, during the Second World War. Those deemed “curable” were sent to concentration camps and labeled with a "PINK TRIANGLE", as part of a color-coding system used by the Nazis to determine the types of prisoners they were holding.

Since this gruesome moment in history, pink has been thought of as a non-masculine color reserved for girls. Besides, boys have strongly avoided it, leading to a change in the color of clothing, toys, and everything gender-related. This suggests that pink was becoming associated with femininity and, whether it was intentional or not, the Nazi color classification during the dark days of the Holocaust undoubtedly had a great effect on the connotations that we associate with the color pink. This effect extended beyond clothing choices to encompass preferences for toys, room decorations, and other gender-related items, perpetuating traditional gender norms and stereotypes.

Richard Plant's book, "The Pink Triangle: The Nazi War Against Homosexuals," reveals that between 1933 and 1944, the Germans held an estimated 50,000 to 63,000 gay individuals as prisoners. Heinz Heger, a survivor of concentration camps, published a memoir titled "Men With The Pink Triangle" in the early 1970s, which significantly influenced the advancement of the gay rights movement. Originally meant as a symbol of shame, the pink triangle (often inverted from its Nazi usage) was reclaimed and became an international symbol of gay pride and the fight for gay rights.

Our society plays a pivotal role in attributing meanings to colors and establishing cultural norms. The meanings of the colors are ambiguous and instinctual but have also evolved over time and learned from experiences. In Western countries, pink is a feminine, sweet, and nurturing color. It is associated with innocence and delicacy but also with frivolity and immaturity. However, the symbolism of each color draws upon individuals' sensory experiences, emotional connections, and semantic understanding.

Hitler may not have specifically chosen the colors, but the Nazis undoubtedly played a role in shaping our perceptions of colors related to gender and sexuality. The psychological change is so strong that in experiments where guns were painted pink and 'My Little Ponies' were painted black and made to look spiky, three-year-old children assumed the gun was a girls’ toy and the pony a boys’ one. The color rather than the function determined gender appeal.

Fortunately, as society matures and becomes more aware of unnecessary norms, there is hope for positive change. Society is increasingly moving away from the idea of it as a childish, over-sexualized hue. There is a growing recognition that pink can embody both prettiness and power, being both feminine and feminist. Men are turning to it, too–as (they did) in the 18th century. WE’RE RE-FRAMING PINK, fostering a more inclusive and open-minded perspective towards colors and their associations.