To Pink Or Not To Pink...

A while back, I had an idea for a shirt.  It was meant to be funny, but as Steph and I finished it up, I immediately started wondering how people would react to it.  I was afraid people might take it the wrong way.

Here's the deal.  This was an attempt, with tongue firmly embedded in cheek, to refuse to let people define my manhood.  The issue of manhood has grown increasingly more important of late as I have a fifteen year old son.  Through his whole life, I have tried to instill in him what I believe are the qualities of a real man.  Integrity, honor, patriotism, compassion, generosity, etc., etc.  But there are groups out there that want to discount what I believe to be the qualities of a real man.  One that comes to mind is all the AXE products out there.  Apparently all you need to do to be a real man is purchase and use their body wash or deodorant.

So I guess all the shirts I see out there that say "Real men wear pink." seemed to be an easy target.  Still, though, my goal was a chuckle rather than social discourse.

But if you want to get philosophical, here you go.  I know some real manly men who have never wore a stitch of pink in their entire lives.  I also know some real turds that wear pink almost every day that wouldn't know a real man if one spit some Beechnut in his eye. 

Maybe now would be a good time to discuss what the shirt does not say.  It doesn't say that I hate pink or people who wear pink.  It doesn't say that I hate breast cancer victims.  It doesn't say that I think a real man is hard and cold and void of compassion or that a real man wouldn't lovingly support anyone in a tough spot.

And while we're talking about the "Wear It Pink" campaign, what does it hope to accomplish?  I keep hearing that it is to raise awareness about breast cancer.  That sounds all well and good but what does raising awareness do? Jack Squat unless there is a dollar sign associated with it.  I would have to guess there are most likely many real men who have given financially to the Susan G. Komen Foundation who have never worn a pink shirt.

So, if my shirt offends you, I'm sorry.  But read it again.  I don't think it says what you think it says.