The "pink Stinks" Campaign Visits Thailand

[andyww]

In the UK there is a campaign (backed by a government Justice Minister Bridget Prentice) to ban the sale of any items to girls which promote being feminine (eg anything pink). This is not a joke, honest.

Website

On their blog page, there is an account of a visit to Thailand. They were horrified to find Thai kids wearing Disney T shirts and apparently because of this Thai women have a, quote: "grim future".

They got pretty much everything wrong, from the desire for white skin to being a wish to be "Western" (which it isnt of course) to the Western evils of Hello Kitty (which is Asian).

I could not resist commenting on the blog. There is one statement they make which I do agree with, Thai people are quite materialistic, but everything else is pure nonsense.

The main purpose of this campaign is they fear women might become "passive" by being conditioned by media and products. I cant help thinking they picked entirely the wrong country. I have never met a "passive" Thai woman... My wife found the whole article and campaign demeaning to women in general as being labelled as stupid and easily influenced.

Edited December 8, 2009 by andyww

[oevna]

I could not resist commenting on the blog. There is one statement they make which I do agree with, Thai people are quite materialistic, but everything else is pure nonsense.

While I also agree with you here, materialism is not exclusive to Thai culture. I'm sure you're aware of this, I'm just bringing it up as a rebuttal to the Pink Stinks comment about it.

Pretty pompous of them, telling the Thai people what they ought to want.

[bkkjames]

The better not go around Chula University with their campaign.

[Credo]

Thai women may not be passive, but I've met a number of men who are.

[Scott]

I have to agree with this campaign, but only because it's a color that I really don't like.

Too many bad experiences with pink--like a red wash cloth getting in with the white clothes and everything coming out pink.

[PattayaParent]

So better tell the Breast Cancer Campaign in UK to stop using pink to promote their cause.

And stop putting pink Smarties in the tubes.

[eek]

PinkStinks aims to counteract the slurry of media obsession on women who are ‘famous’, ‘thin’ ‘rich’ or ‘married to famous men’, by celebrating those women that we see as inspirational, important, ground-breaking and motivating. On these pages we’ll point you in the direction of some of those women … some from history, some just starting out, from all walks of life. It’s amazing how great they are, and when they’re brought together in a list like this there’s a real power to them, that can only serve as an uplifting inspiration.

Hmm, i just took a quick look. I think you are getting the wrong message? "Pink Stinks" seems to be a slogan for making sure girls grow up with healthy role-models, not about not being feminine. I think most girls/woman enjoy being feminine and womanly. I can see how the slogan could give a negative impression, but its catchy, and as the colour pink is associated with girliness, i get what they are going for.

Our sister site for kids, www.cooltobe.me, currently in development, will tell the stories of some of these women, using all that the internet has to offer, and exciting story telling techniques. We really believe that by presenting girls (and boys) with images of women … all shapes, sizes, colours and kinds, doing all sorts of amazing things … we can go some way to improving their self-esteem and self worth, whereas the current mono-culture only destroys it, by celebrating that which most of us can never hope to achieve.

Edited December 9, 2009 by eek

[GuestHouse]

Is the OP suggesting that parents should not be concerned about the roles society and in particular the advertising industry drum into the heads of children?

I've always argued that there is far too much attention paid to protecting our children from screen violence/profanity/nudity and far far too little attention given to the real mind bending power of the advertising industry and it's uncontrolled access to children's minds.

I think this campaign is a very positive step in helping parents choose what they want for their children - though I do accept that it might upset the wants and needs of the demographic group that heads to Thailand to fulfill their own wants and needs - especially if those are focused on the availability of 'pretty women'........ So often referred to as 'Thai Girls'.

Edited December 9, 2009 by GuestHouse

[eek]

..As a side note. Growing up I used to make my Cindy doll a daredevil. I got fed up with all the girly clothes she had (although i loved to dress her up of course, i wanted another side of her), so id go steal my brothers action man clothes and his bikes an stuff and my Cindy would go do amazing things (until my brother found that id niked his stuff again and came to kick my butt.) I loved to swing across rivers on monkey swings and climb trees when i was a kiddy. Never did i think of myself as boyish. I loved having long hair and dressing up too. I also adored boys! I just wanted something more "gritty" than pretend tea-parties and feeding baby dolls (how boring!). If we take an honest look at toys for girls, they are mainly about dressing up and role playing as the innocent princess looking for a prince etc. So yes, i can also understand why there is some kind of campaigning for girls to have a wider spectrum of toys and games.

[geriatrickid]

Oh dear, does this mean pink is now verboten? I was sort of hoping that it would be considered ok ever since someone that will go nameless washed some reds with light coloured clothing.

[Curt1591]

CLASSIC!

They see Asian women as soft and feminine, which in their eyes equals "submissive".

Instead of "fixing" others, why not work on themselves?!

Edited December 9, 2009 by Curt1591

[MrFrank]

I've also left a comment which is "awaiting moderation" apparently.

Apart from the naive and ill-informed blog, I think that the whole Pink Stinks campaign is ill-advised. Swedish research has shown that even if you raise children with entirely pacifist, gender-neutral toys, as soon as they are given the opportunity the girls will start dressing-up dolls and the boys will make toy guns out of sticks and start shooting each other. The gender bias in advertising is not some sort of evil society-influencing campaign; it's a reflection of what people want to buy and are already buying.

[Beacher]

From the original post:

"They got pretty much everything wrong, from the desire for white skin to being a wish to be "Western" (which it isnt of course) to the Western evils of Hello Kitty (which is Asian)."

Gee, now why would they ever get those impressions? Perhaps it's because when one walks into the cosmetics section of any store EVERY women's (and some) men's skin products boast that it "whitens". Then one looks at the models on those products and they ALL look much more white and Western than 99.9% of the Thais we see every day.

As for Hello Kitty, that is admittedly some shoddy journalism to not know that it's a Japanese invention.

[eek]

People seem to be focusing on one persons experience of Thailand that they blogged, not the actual pinkstinks message, which has some very valid points.

[eek]

As for Hello Kitty, that is admittedly some shoddy journalism to not know that it's a Japanese invention.

Wasnt a journalist though Beacher, just a blogger...but yeh, funny. I thought most people knew where Hello Kitty came from.

[bkkjames]

As for Hello Kitty, that is admittedly some shoddy journalism to not know that it's a Japanese invention.

Wasnt a journalist though Beacher, just a blogger...but yeh, funny. I thought most people knew where Hello Kitty came from.

Eek, I bet if you change your Avatar to something less pink, you won't need to take this issue so personally?

[eek]

http://pinkstinks.wordpress.com/ this is the blog link btw.

This is the blog post the OP is referring to: http://pinkstinks.wordpress.com/2009/11/14...-katy-wingrove/

BUT, the PinkStink site and message is here: http://www.pinkstinks.co.uk/

[eek]

As for Hello Kitty, that is admittedly some shoddy journalism to not know that it's a Japanese invention.

Wasnt a journalist though Beacher, just a blogger...but yeh, funny. I thought most people knew where Hello Kitty came from.

Eek, I bet if you change your Avatar to something less pink, you won't need to take this issue so personally?

Haha..i didnt think about that.

Yeh, sorry for banging on a bit about this. Just that i feel that people are focusing on one bloggers viewpoint rather than the general message. I kind of wonder if all the posters actually checked out the link before commenting too. I think we should read for ourselves before making a comment based on one persons view.

[eek]

CLASSIC!

They see Asian women as soft and feminine, which in their eyes equals "submissive".

Instead of "fixing" others, why not work on themselves?!

Who are "they"? Who should work on themselves exactly?

[Meridian007]

Hey, if their campaign works, maybe my girlfriend will stop trying to get me to wear pink! Yay!

While the focus has been on that one blog experience, I think we are focusing on it because we are here. Conversely to that blog, I think Thailand would be a good place for their campaign to get some role models from. As has been said, many Thai women are anything but passive, but they are able to be strong while keeping their femininity. I think that's what makes them so attractive. (at least, to me! )

[eek]

Who would be good female Thai role models then? I imagine Dr Khunying Porntip aka "Doctor Death" may be in there.

[bkkjames]

Hey, if their campaign works, maybe my girlfriend will stop trying to get me to wear pink! Yay!

While the focus has been on that one blog experience, I think we are focusing on it because we are here. Conversely to that blog, I think Thailand would be a good place for their campaign to get some role models from. As has been said, many Thai women are anything but passive, but they are able to be strong while keeping their femininity. I think that's what makes them so attractive. (at least, to me! )

I agree, just last week I came across a few Tom's fitting that description.

[sbk]

Who would be good female Thai role models then? I imagine Dr Khunying Porntip aka "Doctor Death" may be in there.

Dr Pornthip is an excellent role model. She is an amazing woman, smart, educated and doing what she thinks is right. She has a strong sense of right and wrong and has published several best selling books based on her experiences.

Thailand actually has quite a few strong women role models that have been neglected.

Supatra Putananusorn is a woman who has been campaigning to help eliminate discrimination against women , Dhammananda, ordained as a Bhikkuni in Sri lanka, I am sure that other members can come up with a longer list, these two spring to mind right now. or we could just go on with silly and snide comments instead of have a real discussion about role models for girls in Thailand.

[manarak]

People seem to be focusing on one persons experience of Thailand that they blogged, not the actual pinkstinks message, which has some very valid points.

Hmm... I'd be interested to know what the "very valid points" are, from your point of view.

[andyww]

From the original post:

"They got pretty much everything wrong, from the desire for white skin to being a wish to be "Western" (which it isnt of course) to the Western evils of Hello Kitty (which is Asian)."

Gee, now why would they ever get those impressions? Perhaps it's because when one walks into the cosmetics section of any store EVERY women's (and some) men's skin products boast that it "whitens". Then one looks at the models on those products and they ALL look much more white and Western than 99.9% of the Thais we see every day.

Yes but the desire for white skin is not primarily to emulate Westerners. Its to make a statement of not being someone who works in a field all day in the sun. Sun-baked skin is seen as "lower class".

[andyww]

Is the OP suggesting that parents should not be concerned about the roles society and in particular the advertising industry drum into the heads of children?

I've always argued that there is far too much attention paid to protecting our children from screen violence/profanity/nudity and far far too little attention given to the real mind bending power of the advertising industry and it's uncontrolled access to children's minds.

I completely agree with you here. The advertising industry has a lot to answer for, not just in terms of its effects on children but on adults as well.

But this campaign shoots itself in the foot from the outset as it focuses entirely on girls and therefore attracts those who reflect feminist views of the 70s, which even those who were there now largely admit were ill-conceived.

There is a valid message there somewhere but just look at some of the other posts. There is one article which criticises the fact that a championship-winning swimmer took part in a photo shoot. Thats pure 70's feminist drivel. Did they ask the swimmer if she felt denigrated? No, of course not, they just expect everyone to follow their own agenda.

[SaikoIsaan]

lol - there will always be nutcases. A (Thai) friend recently got handed a little brochure that basically said that the apocalypse is coming in 2012, and everybody - with the exception of good Christians of course - will die a painful and terrible death and lose all his loved ones. So there you go, maybe we can hook the two up together, would make for an interesting combination :-)

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Who would be good female Thai role models then? I imagine Dr Khunying Porntip aka "Doctor Death" may be in there.

I find the whole concept of a "role model" a bit weird.

I wasn't too offended by the article though.. Ok, a blogger with a hang-up against Disney Princess or Hello Kitty.. Big deal. If you had to force some common sense into each and everyone of those loons you'd have more than a full time job. Live and let live; they can have their rants, and my daughter can have her Princess shirt.

[gpdjohn]

Well, I do enjoy some of her songs. I don't think she stinks at all....

[TimTang]

I doubt if they'll be visiting the US any time soon. CodePink will probably not give them a very good reception (being about a militant as feminists can get) and the MaryKay girls will all have to have their Cadillacs repainted.