In the two divisions of Grade 4 (age 9-10) I did some weaving activity. Kids were to work for couple of weeks to make a small colourful woollen pouch. The exercise was to push them to concentrate and also to develop their motor skills. They were to take the pouch home as a surprise present for their parents.
Children from the first division finished their pouches with woollen threads of many different colours. The second division has started making pouches with a new set of woollen colours - which had a baby pink colour in it ! I had little idea of the trouble brewing. The girls from second division desperately wanted the pink thread. The girls from the first division strictly told me that other division can't have pink, since they didn't get to use it.
Finally, I have played safe and removed the pink thread from the activity. However, I was surprised at the depth of this pink-mania. We have branded girls with pink (and boys with blue). So much so that these biases are now affecting their sense of design. Rather than thinking about what colours look good, girls have made-up their mind that pink is good. We have manipulated their choice and judgement (its a bit like child abuse).
We are all party to this brain-washing - parents, friends, birthday-gifts, marketeers and advertisers. In a world where we are looking for men-women equality, why are we branding girls and boys with completely arbitrary claims. Shouldn't we fill child's world with many different colours each having a sense and a story.
PS : Are boys as fanatic about colour-blue, as the girls are fanatic about colour-pink ? I don't think so. Why ?
Children from the first division finished their pouches with woollen threads of many different colours. The second division has started making pouches with a new set of woollen colours - which had a baby pink colour in it ! I had little idea of the trouble brewing. The girls from second division desperately wanted the pink thread. The girls from the first division strictly told me that other division can't have pink, since they didn't get to use it.
Finally, I have played safe and removed the pink thread from the activity. However, I was surprised at the depth of this pink-mania. We have branded girls with pink (and boys with blue). So much so that these biases are now affecting their sense of design. Rather than thinking about what colours look good, girls have made-up their mind that pink is good. We have manipulated their choice and judgement (its a bit like child abuse).
We are all party to this brain-washing - parents, friends, birthday-gifts, marketeers and advertisers. In a world where we are looking for men-women equality, why are we branding girls and boys with completely arbitrary claims. Shouldn't we fill child's world with many different colours each having a sense and a story.
PS : Are boys as fanatic about colour-blue, as the girls are fanatic about colour-pink ? I don't think so. Why ?
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