Unnecessarily Gendered Products, A Blog Featuring Products Marketed Either to Men or Women Based on Arbitrary Traits

BIC for Her pens

Unnecessarily Gendered Products is a Tumblr blog featuring products marketed specifically to women or men based solely on arbitrary traits like item color. It calls attention to the fact that gender-based product marketing can affect men just as much as women by discouraging them from enjoying products that are generally seen as feminine.

Graq, a moderator of the blog, wrote about how the pointless marketing can affect everyone:

Pink and flowers are not the problem! The problem is that the pink and floral designs are inherently coded as feminine (and also usually placed on an inferior version of the base product) and then marketed with sexist, gender binary reinforcing slogans and imagery. Women can buy the “guy” versions if they want, but what about men and non-binary people who like pastel colors and cute things? Things “for men” aren’t looked down upon, but things “for women” are considered embarrassing for a man to enjoy. Just look at the way people talk about “chick flicks” or book series popular with women…

If you like the “for girls” or “for women” products, or things that just happen to be pink, of course you should be able to use them and enjoy them. But there’s a stigma attached to guys liking “female” things. Which is why advertisers will market products like the “It’s not for girls!” candy bar to men who want to reassert their masculinity.

Lady Hammer Pink