Thanks to all my fans!

Some of you may have seen my article Pity in Pink on the FWord about my hideous experiences buying a laptop that wasn't pink (impossible for a woman, apparently). I've just seen all these great comments from my fans on the FWord and thought I'd post them for the benefit of my readers, and to say thanks for everyone who thought the article was great!

From Louise Whittle
I too am looking for a laptop (Mac as opposed to PC)....and it doesn't bode well. Hideous pink colours as well. Oh well, I can't wait for some bloke to patronise me about 'girly friendly' technology.

From Helen
I *love* that research. Most hilarious evolutionary psych idea ever. Wimmins like pink because it's totally like berries. Teh mens don't like pink because they don't gather, they hunt. And animal flesh isn't cissy pink.... Except when it is...
Plus I've been told that pink used to be considered a manly colour in the UK (don't have sources so not certain) and that's why it's popular on scarfs/crests for old public schools and colleges.

From Hannah
The same thing happened to me when I was upgrading my phone last month. The sales assistant brought up a huge list of phones I was eligible to upgrade to but then 'helpfully' pointed out two pink phones and told me how popular they are with 'the ladies' at the moment. Like you said I don't object to pink phones being produced but I do object to being steered towards them as if they're the ideal option for me because I'm female. The look on my face probably said it all to be honest because he then said 'Or maybe you'd prefer a black or silver phone?'...

From Bob
"in order to distinguish between ripe and non-ripe fruit such as berries then women developed an innate preference for reddish tones."
Surely, then, men would also be attracted to pink, as it resembles the blood of the animals he was hunting?

Posie Rider, author of the bloody article, replies:
Exactly, Bob! Apparently, men like blue because, er, they were out in the wide world 'looking at the sky'. Women like dark, cavernous spaces (beds, cupboards, the vagina) while men like spears, tigers, stones etc. Maybe men like silver and grey laptops because they remind them of stones or the sheen on the skin of a freshly caught fish? It's absolutely baffling.
And did women never see the sky? Did they just "not like that sort of thing"? If you cut me, do I not bleed?

I have only one word to say to these quacks. BLACKBERRIES.

From Eleanor T
In response to Posie Rider's recent article, I wish to say this: "YES!!" I fight battles every single day with both men and women who think all girls like pink and all boys like blue. If this were really the case, why aren't all the proper, "sensible" laptops coloured blue? Why don't we see more items in blue? It's because people think men have the capacity to think about product specifics... and women don't. I grow ever more frustrated by this the more of the world I explore. Posie, your article was brilliant and couldn't have come at a better time. Question though: did you end up buying a laptop from that store or did you turn your nose up at the wall of pink and stalk out in a huff?

From Christina crease
Just read your 'pink laptop' blog, it made me smile, I'm a 32 year old computer programmer and when I went to PCWorld for a new laptop they tried to sell me a pink laptop, I pointed out that it was really only children who might like them and how silly I would look turning up to a business meeting with a barbie laptop! I opted instead for a sony viao, its very powerful and comes in a sleek shiny midnight blue case. very elegant, and much more grown up than pink! anyway, a very entertaining read :-D

From heather harvey
just wanted to say great article and I assume we all know about the new web campaign "Pink Stinks", http://www.pinkstinks.co.uk/

From Caroline Armstrong
I loved your article about the pink laptops. I too am aghast at the amount of regular items coloured pink just so that girls will buy them. Also that it appears to WORK because people DO actually buy the stuff. I want to pounce on them in the street and shake them into sense. My local pound shop has a whole range of DIY tools and accessories, coloured pink, with the phrase 'just for girls' printed on. Am I incapable of using black pliars? Wouldn't I understand what a black screwdriver is? Loved the article, keep up the good work!

From Lara
I have a shiny new laptop. It's pink and I'm very excited. Oops...

Jess McCabe, editor of The F-Word, replies
I think the point Posie was trying to make wasn't that women shouldn't want or buy pink laptops, but that it's insulting when shops assume that the best, easiest, automatic way to get women to buy stuff is to make it in pink. It's all kinds of patronising for companies to assume that they can just make a product pink and women will buy it.