Today 8 April 2020 marks the celebration of the International Day of Pink, a global campaign dedicated to standing up in solidarity with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to fight for equality and acceptance. The movement, which started in Canada, aims to create a more inclusive and diverse world that is against bullying, discrimination, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and transmisogyny in schools, workplaces and communities.
If there’s one colour that’s associated with Flow, it’s pink! We’re pink and proud of it. More than this, Flow prides itself on our values, one of which is our people – our most important asset. At Flow, we treat each other with dignity and respect and acknowledge each other’s unique skill sets and contributions to the team.
We asked a few Flowstars what the colour pink means to them and this is what they had to say:
“I love pink, because there are so many wonderful shades – from demure and gentle to bright and exciting. Much like diversity. I also hate that little boys are told that pink is for girls. Why exclude a whole gender from this wonderful colour? That’s mean.” – Sarah-Jane Viljoen, Flow Cape Town manager
“As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, you kind of become a poster child for bullying. It’s everywhere – at school, on the bus ride home, at the mall and even at work. Pink is a colour we embrace in my community. It represents freedom, hope, a sense of belonging and pride.” – Pakamani Nombila, content producer
“Pink evokes feelings of happiness and frivolity in me. It makes me feel light and airy and reminds me of fun.” – Edwina van der Burg, director of content
“In the words of Aerosmith, ‘Pink, it’s my new obsession, yeah, pink, it’s not even a question …’ Pink never really featured in my life before I worked at Flow, and now it’s one of my favourite colours. To me, it means creativity, family, inspiration and upliftment. It makes life fun and brings so much joy!” – Elmarie Nel, head of graphic design
“There are so many things about pink … But this year’s pink thing is those pink sweets that I got in lucky packets as a child … Small, chalky and tasting intensely of perfume, they will always remind me of hot summer afternoons, when the days seemed endless and a lucky packet brought hours of joy.” – Caroline Smith, head of PR
“Pink reminds me of my childhood bedroom, a happy space where I hoarded vast numbers of books, and spent afternoons lying on the carpet reading them, often in the company of our dog.” – Libby Peacock, senior writer and subeditor
“I know this is going to sound uber-girly and clichéd, but “Flow pink”, what I would call cerise, has long been one of my favourite colours. In fact, it was one of the colours I chose for my wedding in 2004! It’s a cliché that pink is a ‘girl colour’ – back in the late 1800s, pink, because it comes from red, was seen as too dynamic for girls (in Western society) and blue was thought a ‘better’ colour for them! I love cerise for its warmth and dynamism. It’s a boisterous, friendly colour, full of heart and happiness. Actually, rather an odd colour, perhaps, for an out-and-out introvert to choose!” – Sue Blaine, senior writer and editor
“Hmm. I’m not really a fan of pink. Unless, of course, you’re talking about those first sweet peas of the season that herald the end of winter and the beginning of spring; or the paw pads of brand-new puppies; or liquidised watermelon; or candyfloss; or the flock of flamingos outside Kimberley; or Babe: Pig in the City; or Pink, the singer: ‘I’m going to get in trouble. I’m going to start a fight’ (fabulous lyric).
“So, while I don’t like wearing it, and I would never have it in my house, pink does have its virtues. If it stands today for inclusiveness, no bullying and generosity of spirit, then today (and today only), I’m a big, big pink supporter.” – Allison MacDonald, account director
“Clients often ask us, ‘Why pink?’ It’s playful. It’s strong. It’s distinctive. Like us at Flow. We think it goes perfectly with our name. Flow indicates positive forward movement. One thing flows to another. Ideas flow, rivers flow. The ‘state of flow’ indicates the most present, positive state a person can be in. So that’s why we’re Flow and why we’re pink.” – Tara Turkington, Flow CEO
International Day of Pink asks that we come together as a society and celebrate our diversity and our uniqueness, that we call for equality in the spaces we occupy, and that we stand in solidarity for a better future for us all.
* 2SLGBTQIA+ stands for “two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning, intersex and asexual community”.