Saturday, March 3, 2012

Pin Up Girls - Gender and Pinterest

*

This is my debut night on Pinterest ( ahem, http://pinterest.com/humanandmachine/ ) . Do I say NIGHT because I anticipate hours ahead continuing to listen to Supergrass and pinning that which I love?

So far it does feel v girly (which is obviously a compliment) Is it then true ( as Time wrote) Men are from Google +, Women are from Pinterest or it is that I am really on the UK Site and not girly at all but a Rich Man (apparently it's more popular with minted men in the UK)? Ah, the Sociological questions abound. Actually, a boy told me about Pinterest in the first place but admitted that he really doesn't pin. A Study in Gender differences perhaps? Or what we think of Gender and assign as feminine in the first place.

Gender still an issue you ask (eyes rolling)? Pah. How passe. Men are secure in their masculinity ( haven't you heard the term metrosexual). Some are even so secure that they won't set foot on Pinkterest, sorry Pinterest, but will instead prove they are men by heading over to Gentlemint "a mint of manly things", or Manteresting with its "Interesting. Man. Things." How can you not love the "You've got cooties taunt" on Manteresting "Invites are lame! Get started today." If you don't know what they are referring to, the stats so far will suggest you're a boy as polite girls apparently wait for an invitation. How stereotypical. But seriously, where do I mail my Hallmark Thank You Card to.

This apparent Gender dichotomy feels like a 10 year old's birthday party with girls on one side of the room and boys on the other. Is there still such a divide? Is this the whole nick name thing again where girls can be called a boyish Nickname but if a boy is he's a Sissy (which you would think is a good thing... did you not see Carrie?) If Pinterest started with more boys than girls would it have gone a different way? Is it like publishing a book and making sure ppl don't know you're a woman so boys will read it too. If J. K. Rowling put Joanne on her books would it have been more Henrietta than Harry?

So will I be a Pin Up Girl? I guess you'll know when I pin something about it or maybe I'll Google Plus it. Or pull a Lady Gaga (as they say) and do both.**

Let the Gender studies continue....

Are you Pinteresting?

...........................................................................................

* Picture from http://sarahperkinsphotography.com courtesy a Pinterest Board by Ida MC. Many Thanks.

** by that clearly I mean do either while wearing a dress made out of meat.... I should Pin that on myWear Me Out Board