Real men wear pink!

My nephews, Aaron [Left] and Andrew [Right]
wearing pink tees!

DANCERS of the Breast Cancer Support Group were wearing pink tops as they performed at a public event organised by Befrienders Johor Baru. The sole male performer, who was wearing a pink shirt, was clearly a supporter of the group. It struck me that it took a special man to wear pink clothing.

We are probably conditioned to think that pink is for girls and blue for boys by our parents.  Clothes sellers also play a vital role in shaping our perceptions of these "gender-specific" colours.

I remember a year when almost all super cute Strawberry Shortcake- and Barbie-branded clothes were in in shades of pink.  I like pink but that put me off pink for a while. Maybe it's the rebel in me reacting.

Sole male dancer wearing pink along with the ladies
in the Breast Cancer Support Group line-dancers

I was happy that the pink ribbon was chosen as a symbol of breast cancer awareness and to express solidarity with those who were diagnosed with breast cancer.

It stands for the hope and strength of individual sufferers and the efforts made by fund raisers, medical staff, researchers and volunteers in the fight against breast cancer.  It warmed my heart to see more people wearing pink last month. October is observed as breast cancer awareness month.


My nephews, Aaron and Andrew, often wear pink outfits. Maybe it's a fashion statement or their way of showing support for efforts to find a breast cancer cure. It certainly takes confidence for a man to wear pink clothes. Like many modern men today, my nephews are cool about it. They are not bothered by the fallacy that effeminate men dress in pink. Since girls love pink, they figure they might even get a second look from the girls!

Philip Skitch, General Manager of
Thistle Johor Baru, wearing pink Baju Melayu

My English friend, the general manager of Thistle Hotel Johor Baru, is often in pink these days. At a recent Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration, Philip Skitch soft pastel pink baju Melayu top was a hot topic among the ladies.

Whether its rose pink, hot pink, pastel pink or shocking pink, there's something alluring about pink. The colour pink, in any shade, has a calming effect and compliments most skin tones. Pink is easy to coordinate with almost every colour found in a man's wardrobe. It matches well with grey, tan, navy blue and, of course, black. 

October may be over but we can still wear pink to complement the efforts of the members of the Breast Cancer Support Group.  If you haven't tried wearing pink, you should explore the possibilities and see the surprising results. 

For a start, you can go to Baskin Robbins outlets on Wednesdays because they have declared that particular day of the week as BR Pink Day.  Customers who wear something pink will enjoy a double junior scoop for the price of one. So wear a pink shirt, tie or socks or show them your pink pen or nails, to enjoy this special offer which is on until the end of the year.

Someone once asked me a trick question, "Why are baby boys dressed in blue, and baby girls dressed in pink?"  I came up with all sorts of ridiculous answers but failed to give a satisfying one. Finally I was given the answer: "Because they can't dress themselves!" 

That made sense. Babies certainly can't dress themselves.  They depend on their parents to choose their clothes. They do not have any choice about what to wear until much later in life.

So now that you have a choice, why not give pink a try?  Pink is for everyone and it's time you found out whether you are self assured enough to step up and discover that real men do wear pink!

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 15 November 2010