Will I regret choosing pink?

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Comments

  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Saying something is 'gay' does not have to be anti-homosexuals does it....

    If you can carry it off, pink is a real cool colour, if you fail then it makes your failure stand out - you have been warned.

    My Daughter (Younger) wants a pink bike, but as had to make do with pink forks and grips and cables so far!

    Simon
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    AidanR wrote:
    I hate to be that Politically Correct Guy, but why is it OK that "gay" is used as an insult?

    We've had this discussion before... way back when I was sub 1000 posts.

    We (me) don't mean gay in the homosexual sense. I mean lesbians are cool, especially two fit ones kissing. We mean gay like overly happy to the point of being silly. The preferred way of writing it was ghey, I believe LiTs (a girl, not gay... maybe dabbled) started to write it like that at some point.

    This forum needs its own meme section...
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • AidanR
    AidanR Posts: 1,142
    Pardon my French, but bullsh*t. Nobody here means gay as in happy. Who here is saying:
    You look like you've blown up - overly happy to the point of being silly.

    Your struggling up hill - overly happy to the point of being silly.

    You have a rest day (on the pink bike) - overly happy to the point of being silly.


    It's a bloke on a pink bike, a traditionally (in this culture at least) feminine colour. Even if you are supposedly innocently using the term to mean he'll look silly, it should be very obvious to everyone that given this context the interpretation is going to be gay = homosexual.

    I know this is all meant in a lighthearted way, but that's half of the problem. It makes it seem acceptable, when it really isn't.
    Bike lover and part-time cyclist.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,776
    To bring this back on topic, I prefer pink to brown.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    When I say gay. I don't mean in an anti-homophobic way.

    Two girls one kiss. awesome. :wink:

    Pink bikes are cool if you can ride them fast. If you don't, then you'll look overly happy (because you're on an awesome looking bike) too the point of being silly because the bike is clearly too much for you. Or you are not enough. In other words. Gay.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • racingcondor
    racingcondor Posts: 1,434
    And (I hope) moving on from the passive agressive gay bashing. For which if there are any mods on this forum there is no excuse so deal with it. AidenR good point well made, your misquotes made me chuckle.

    I'm a big fan of the Pink Planet X. I'm not quite brave enough to buy one though thanks in large part to the sort of responses made by others in this thread.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Gay, bit of a pansy, bit wet, the trouble is all those mean the same thing (in relationship to riding a pink bike) yet all have anti-homosexual connetations due to the historical use of the words, I think gay works just fine and just because homosexuals chose to hijack the word gay when other words used were seen as derogatory (much like obese replaced fat, and now heck of course obese is seen as derogatory! Now gay is - spot a pattern)doesn't mean they have exclusive use of it.

    So yes in a totally non homophobic (fear of homosapiens, another frickin meaningless bullshit word to try and make life easier) riding a pink bike leaves you at risk of looking a bit gay unless you can pull it off. (oops guess someone will complain at that as well).

    Back in the 70's it would have been 'a bit of a poofter' now as that word had no other usage I would agree that that would be derogatory by the way.

    Simon
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • nation
    nation Posts: 609
    Do it.

    As far as the vast majority of the public are concerned, anyone in lycra looks like a Power Rangers fetishist anyway.
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Sheesh must be something in the air today.

    Buy a Pink bike, a good one, and its like making statment. Be prepared to live up to that statement or look the fool.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • welkman
    welkman Posts: 396
    If I have a few cans before ordering its pink, if I'm as sober as a judge then its black. I reckon thats a good plan. I will update my signiture on arrival........
  • AidanR
    AidanR Posts: 1,142
    DDD, I understand that you are not homophobic. I am not trying to accuse of being so. But I do believe the term you (and others) are using here has homophobic connotations. I understand that it has fairly common usage as a synonym for "lame", but just because a pejorative term is commonly used does not make it acceptable.

    @The Beginner, I am not student of linguistics but I believe you have got your timelines wrong. The words "gay" and "poof" were used to describe homosexuality, and then became terms denoting weakness and effeminacy because these were traits (incorrectly) associated with homosexual men. And homophobia is not a meaningless bullsh*t word, unless you believe racism and sexism to be meaningless bullsh*t words.

    As for the pink bike, get it if you like the colour pink and possibly a bit of attention! But remember its resale value maybe a bit lower.
    Bike lover and part-time cyclist.
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    I think you'll find the word 'gay' meant happy long before it was hijacked. DDD is therefore using it in its correct sense
  • AidanR
    AidanR Posts: 1,142
    I am well aware of the history of the word, but:

    a) You have to use a word in its current cultural context, not that of 50+ years ago;
    b) It was not meant as 'happy'.
    Bike lover and part-time cyclist.
  • chilling
    chilling Posts: 267
    Buy a Pink bike, a good one, and its like making statment. Be prepared to live up to that statement or look the fool.

    I'd ride it round really slowly taking in all the admiring looks from the babes.

    Like I'd care if I'm living up to your expectations of how it should be ridden. I'd even give you a little regal wave as you scalped me on your not quite so pretty bike.

    :D
  • TommyEss
    TommyEss Posts: 1,855
    Why don't we just say that if you ride weakly on a pink bike then you will stand out as looking incredibly weedy. Whereas if you ride weakly on a black bike (or any other colour for that matter) you will just look knackered.

    The colour pink multiplies the feelings generated x10 (ish)

    Fast on a black bike = oh, chapeau

    Fast on a pink bike - WOW!

    Slow on a black bike - meh

    Slow on a pink bike = Bahahahaahahaahahaahahahahahaahahahahaahaahahaaaa
    Cannondale Synapse 105, Giant Defy 3, Giant Omnium, Giant Trance X2, EMC R1.0, Ridgeback Platinum, On One Il Pompino...
  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    I bought a pink Campag cap earlier in the year. Yet to pluck up the courage to wear it. Didn't look *so* pink in the photo online....
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    AidanR wrote:
    @The Beginner, I am not student of linguistics but I believe you have got your timelines wrong. The words "gay" and "poof" were used to describe homosexuality.
    Believe all you like, but your wrong, 'Gay' was intorduced by the homosexual community as a means of introducing a non derogatory (at the time) word to describe themselves, poof was only ever a derogatory term and used as such, much like the 'N' word (now adopted by the black community as its OK to call each other that apparently).

    Not sure why they chose 'gay' as its seams to reinforce a stereotype (a wholly untrue one) or maybe as the 'out and proud' type of person felt it worked for them (while the 'in the closet' type of person probably got no say in the matter), but that is what they chose, now of course it gets used in a derogatory manner.

    Simon
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • AidanR
    AidanR Posts: 1,142
    OK, I take your point that "poof" has always been derogatory, but it has also always meant "homosexual" (as far as I can tell - please correct me if I'm wrong). Young kids using the term "poof" may not mean it in a sexual way, but that is because they are not sexually aware, rather than the word not having that meaning.

    The word "gay" likely became associated with homosexuality through its meaning as "carefree", i.e. not caring about society's morals. So yes, this implication of immorality means there was something of the derogatory about the word at its inception, but this has to be taken in the context of the widespread homophobia of the times. In other words, because homosexuality was seen as morally wrong, any word meaning that automatically implied a certain immorality.

    But like the word "poof", the current derogatory nature of the word "gay" seems to have little to do with the idea of homosexuality being immoral, but is instead linked to the perceived effeminacy of homosexuality and the idea of gay men being somehow weaker or "less of a man".

    Language will inevitably shift and change, but that doesn't mean it must always be approached passively. Sometimes you have to fight words and ideas, because although this might appear abstract and pointlessly intellectual, words and ideas are fantastically powerful.
    Bike lover and part-time cyclist.

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