How you display gender (or don’t) is always a nuanced topic, with our maps accommodating several different ways to approach this. But one feature that has been around since GPS tracking began is the use of pink dots for women and blue dots for men.
This has never been something we have embraced – only implementing when specifically requested. However, as we head into a new year, we want to make the case for why pink dots – in particular – should be left firmly in the past.
The Origins
Of course, using colours to differentiate genders on a map is perfectly sensible and a common request. Therefore, you might wonder why it matters if these colours happen to be the stereotypical blue and pink? Surely it’s just a matter of convenience?
To explain why it matters, we should first dive into the origins of these colours. It was only after the 1950s that the association “blue = boys” and “pink = girls” became commonplace. Since then, the stereotype has persisted, with these colours popping up everywhere from gender reveal announcements to birthday cards.
It’s so ingrained as part of European and North American culture that few people question what it even symbolises. Often it’s simply instinctive to assign these colours.
The Cliche
The problem is not with the colours themselves, but with the wider stereotypes that they play into, especially with regards to women. The colour pink is often tied to a narrow, traditional idea of what femininity is supposed to look like.
And that is a vision of femininity that sees women just playing with dolls not playing sports. It sees them just wearing dresses not lycra. It sees them just baking cakes not bleeding brakes. It sees them just staying at home not bivvying on hilltops.
The association may only be subtle, but if you look around you will see that colour is splashed on most liberally where the alignment with traditional gender roles is strongest. Think dolls, make-up or clothing. This isn’t about intention; it’s about the connotations that colours carry, whether we mean them to or not.
Smashing the Stereotype
Entertaining these kind of stereotypes is never great, but it seems particularly at odds with the events we are tracking. They are filled with women doing incredible, challenging, daring and brilliant things.
They defy the stereotype in spectacular ways. And in an area where they still represent a minority, they continue to provide an inspiration to those young women and girls who will follow in their footsteps. Given we know the power of representation, we also know the power of connotation.
It feels a real step backward to paint these stereotype-defying dots pink.
So if you’re considering pink dots or have been using them, we ask you to take some time to think whether you could make a switch. Much like there are lots of versions of femininity out there, there are also lots of colours to chose from.
Our Recommedation
Using a wider, more neutral palette avoids this issue entirely, while still allowing gender distinctions where they are genuinely useful.
