Hurlbert and Ling speculate that this biological divide is long-standing and rooted in evolution. Men’s and women’s shared inclination for the color blue, the doctors suggest, could be related to humankind’s beginnings on the plains of Africa, where vast blue skies indicated good weather. The female-specific predilection for shades of pink may have something to do with early civilizations’ division of labor, in which men hunted while women gathered fruits and berries, which are often red. In addition, early women may have cultivated an ability to quickly identify red on the color spectrum, because that skill would have rendered them more alert to the flushed faces of their sick children.
Nature or Nurture?
As diverse and intriguing as these theories are, the fact remains that the pink-and-blue phenomenon has no single point of origin. And no matter how the color designations for male and female children have evolved through the ages, the current incarnations appear to be here for the long haul. What’s more, the clothing retailers couldn’t care less about how all this came about. As long as baby-shower guests and excited new parents keep snatching up pink sleep sacks for baby girls and blue onesies for infant boys, the manufacturers will make more and the stores will keep their aisles segregated. If you’re satisfied with the status quo, the work’s been done for you—go forth and shop. And if you just can’t stomach the thought of restricting your child to a monochromatic wardrobe, it might be time to invest in a sewing machine.
