The colors blue and pink have become powerful ways for people to identify someone’s gender in modern society. After all, pink is for girls, and blue is for boys, right? From toy aisles to gender-reveal parties, these two hues have become cultural shorthand for male and female identity.
But this pairing wasn’t always the norm, nor is it rooted in any biological aspect of sex. In fact, the journey of how these colors became gendered is a fascinating tapestry woven from centuries of fashion trends, marketing strategies, social transformations, and evolving cultural attitudes.
So, how did these two seemingly innocuous colors come to carry such complex meaning? And how have they affected our views on gender and identity? Click through this gallery to find out.