One man’s pretty is another’s pernicious: Pink gets a pink slip in the ominous trenches of MAGA world

The offensive-to-MAGA J Crew Sweater. Photo: J Crew

Even a jumper can trigger. This innocuous garment by J Crew is, according to the MAGA masses, “emasculating men”. That an article of clothing can do that is in itself the most fragile demonstration of manhood since somebody claimed socks with sandals was the end of Western civilisation. It confirms that for some men, masculinity is apparently less robust than a thonged undies during a particularly aggressive spin cycle, in bed. Apparently, it’s not the jumper itself that threatens emasculation, but the colour. Fancy being threatened by a pink wool pullover from J Crew. It’s like being scared of salmon at Costco. In a severely polarised MAGA world, pink is an unwelcome shade of gray.

We know, of course, that when it comes to the MAGA congregation, everything is at the verge of destruction or already destroyed. Just as America has to be made great again, men has to be masculinised (again?) to achieve greatness, for he is under a very real threat of being rendered impotent—physiologically, mentally, emotionally, and, worse, sexually. But the only thing effectively neutered is the idea that true masculinity can be squashed by a US$168 (S$282, as per J Crew website) garment in the sweet shade of marshmallow that’s not white, confirming that for some men, ‘greatness’ is less sturdy than a wet paper towel.

In a severely polarised MAGA world, pink is an unwelcome shade of gray

On the J Crew website, the sweater is now tagged ‘Best Seller’, probably the unintended success from the revolt against it. But if we go by the iron law of retail, nothing drives a purchase like a well-publicised reason not to buy it. J Crew describes the garment as “naturally warm and cozy and knit with a vintage-inspired yoke”, which is “a festive Fair Isle pattern that traces its origins to the Shetland Islands off the windy coast of Scotland”. If there is any non-masculine references in there, it is undetectable. But perhaps the problem isn’t in the description, but in the yoke itself—the pattern, encircling the neck could pass off as a garland. Real men do not wear flowers, even if they do in Hawaii. What do conservative Hawaiians call their neckwear? Probably a pre-approved unit of mandated Aloha Spirit, pending a full review by the National Rifle Association.

In the West, pink was historically a masculine colour in the early 20th century, associated with vigor and youth. Only later was it feminised by post-WWII marketing. So the idea that pink “emasculates” men is historically illiterate. To make matters worse, J Crew had to choose a jumper to be pink-ed. It is soft, cozy, domestic, the total opposite of the rugged, militarised aesthetic that MAGA branding thrives on (camouflage, denim, trucker). Pair softness with pink, and you’ve got a double affront to the “hard man” performance. Or worse, then unmanning of Marlboro Man. Declaring pink off-limits isn’t just the politics of colour; it’s about policing male self-expression. It’s a way of saying: “Our palette, our rules. Dissent is weakness, and weakness is simply failure.” The pink J Crew jumper isn’t emasculation. It’s emancipation from the tyranny of masculine blue.