Anyone else think the iMac looks, for lack of a better word, “feminine”?

[SuperMatt]

Perhaps he's from a country where true freedom of speech is championed?

Sorry, is his free speech being infringed? Pretty sure he’s allowed to say whatever he wants, based on the plethora of posts he’s posted here.

Freedom of speech is NOT freedom from criticism. If somebody says something offensive or foolish, they can (and usually will) be called out.

 

[Roheryn]

“Professional vs Childish” may have been a batter choice. While that’s not so say that any color can’t be “professional”, but these clearly don’t adhere to the traditional office workplace look, but that’s not the target audience.

For me personally, I wouldn’t buy any of these solely for the white bezel. The blue looks nice, but not with white bezels.

I can see many companies choosing them for their workplace, with colors based in their corporate logos and signage. What IS the traditional office workplace now ? And why should it be dominated by “masculine” blacks, greys and beige ?

 

[agraden]

Even the silver version, maybe because of the white bezels, is hard to imagine in a guy’s room or office.

I’m not opposed to color, but the particular colors chosen and the pastel-looking tone of the stands. It just veers pretty hard into the feminine lane.

Black bezels and a black Apple logo on the front might go a long way to improve the silver iMac to my macho manly eyes.

Hopefully the larger iMac that comes next has some more testosterone boosting colors

 

[qoop]

Sorry, is his free speech being infringed? Pretty sure he’s allowed to say whatever he wants, based on the plethora of posts he’s posted here.

Freedom of speech is NOT freedom from criticism. If somebody says something offensive or foolish, they can (and usually will) be called out.

Sounds like a threat

 

[Coheebuzz]

Apple: Peach is neutral
Cosmetics industries: LMAO

This will be one fun hair-pulling match.

Respectfully yours,
The Patriarchy

 

[opeter]

Carbon Fiber wrapped Black iMac.

iMac 27

Available for iMac 27” 2009 – Present Models Full Front Protection Protects against dust, dirt and scratches Removable and Reusable

www.slickwraps.com

Is it masculine enough?
But I also found metal, wood, etc texture for it. Now we just need to wait for the new generation of these stickers for the brand new 24" M1 iMac.

 

[eicca]

You keep repeating it, but that's not going to make it true. And the assumption that differences in color perception between males and females drive color preferences is certainly not supported by science.

Ha! It’s the most obvious science ever and not at all hard to find. If you’d rather go by warm fuzzies instead of obvious truth and research, you have fun with that. I wish you luck.

 

[DSTOFEL]

Um, how in the world do you NOT associate the word feminine with women? Do you have some alternate definition of feminine that nobody has ever heard? Merriam-Webster’s #1 definition of feminine is a simple, one-word definition: “female”.

And the OP made it very clear that he holds a disdain for (in his opinion) feminine colors.

Both men and women have masculine and feminine traits to some degree. Why would you equate the word feminine with a pejorative and assume it has a negative connotation?

 

[SuperMatt]

Both men and women have masculine and feminine traits to some degree. Why would you equate the word feminine with a pejorative and assume it has a negative connotation?

I do not, but it is abundantly clear based on his posts (IMHO) that the OP does.

It doesn’t change the fact that feminine literally means female… trying to change the English language isn’t going to get one very far in a discussion.

 

[SuperMatt]

Ha! It’s the most obvious science ever and not at all hard to find. If you’d rather go by warm fuzzies instead of obvious truth and research, you have fun with that. I wish you luck.

We all saw your linked stories, and they don’t support your assertion. You’ve clearly misunderstood the research.

 

[HeinoM]

Maybe it’s time for you to stop associating color with gender....

Or maybe you just like what you like.

 

[Andropov]

Ha! It’s the most obvious science ever and not at all hard to find. If you’d rather go by warm fuzzies instead of obvious truth and research, you have fun with that. I wish you luck.

There's zero published papers that claim there's a biological basis for color preference based on gender. At most, some examine the differences between male and female color preferences, finding some differences in some aspects and huge similarities in the overall trends, but none of them claim the difference is based on biology instead of culture. Most of this studies also lack a sufficient sample of people and have low p-values on their findings.

And then, other studies you pointed to examine the ability of men and women to distinguish between two colors in the spectrum, but make zero claims about how or why this could impact the color preferences. The ability to distinguish a higher number of colours does not imply that women would be more attracted to colorful things or specific colors. At all.

The alleged causal relationship between these two distinct topics is yours alone, and is not backed by the science you cite.

 

[DSTOFEL]

I do not, but it is abundantly clear based on his posts (IMHO) that the OP does.

It doesn’t change the fact that feminine literally means female… trying to change the English language isn’t going to get one very far in a discussion.

....and why would you take offense to someone using the word feminine to describe something. Why the negative connotation attributed to the use of the word feminine. In his original post the OP merely stated “I’m not opposed to color, but the particular colors chosen and the pastel-looking tone of the stands. It just veers pretty hard into the feminine lane.” Again, the word feminine is not a pejorative. It should have no negative association. If you or others think that companies don’t design products to appeal to masculine and feminine traits...I’ve afraid you’re sadly mistaken.

 

[tkermit]

I mean, I get what the OP is saying even if it's not politically correct. Some people would actually say that about Apple products in general. The fact that Apple has introduced a a more "feminine" look (if you want to call it that) to PC hardware is something I've personally long appreciated about them.

The new iMac is super pretty, by the way.

 

[SuperMatt]

....and why would you take offense to someone using the word feminine to describe something. Why the negative connotation attributed to the use of the word feminine. In his original post the OP merely stated “I’m not opposed to color, but the particular colors chosen and the pastel-looking tone of the stands. It just veers pretty hard into the feminine lane.” Again, the word feminine is not a pejorative. It should have no negative association. If you or others think that companies don’t design products to appeal to masculine and feminine traits...I’ve afraid you’re sadly mistaken.

I guess we can disagree on the fact that the OP wasn’t being disdainful. But the tone and words he chose clearly show that’s not the case IMHO. He wrote a lot more than that in this thread that reinforces his disdain for “feminine” things... it’s there for all to see.

I take offense to his association of certain colors with gender because I disagree with it, and I think it’s an example of toxic masculinity and outdated ways of thinking. I am allowed to feel that way and express it, and I am doing so.

So, the OP has his opinions of certain colors being associated with certain genders. But he goes farther and when people point out that it’s only his opinion and not shared by all, he accuses everybody that disagrees with him of lying and being disingenuous. Now THAT everybody should have a problem with.

 

[TiggrToo]

Even the silver version, maybe because of the white bezels, is hard to imagine in a guy’s room or office.

I’m not opposed to color, but the particular colors chosen and the pastel-looking tone of the stands. It just veers pretty hard into the feminine lane.

Black bezels and a black Apple logo on the front might go a long way to improve the silver iMac to my macho manly eyes.

Interesting factoid: Pink was traditionally a masculine color.

 

[SuperMatt]

Interesting factoid: Pink was traditionally a masculine color.

And pastels are often associated with Spring and/or the Easter holiday... and Apple made it obvious they were going for Spring colors in their event video.

 

[TiggrToo]

What is there to address? What does any of that have to do with anything?

Goes to show your argument over the colors being feminine is irrelevant. There are no feminine colors really - there are just colors.

Sorry @SuperMatt : didn't see you ninja'd me previously on the pink thing!

 

[SuperMatt]

Goes to show your argument over the colors being feminine is irrelevant. There are no feminine colors really - there are just colors.

Sorry @SuperMatt : didn't see you ninja'd me previously on the pink thing!

I got in my time machine and provided sources for your comment in the past

 

[imdog]

People are calling OP some toxically masculine knuckle-dragging man driving a pick up truck because he prefers a more subdued shade of computer lol and OP is the fragile one? 😂

 

[SuperMatt]

People are calling OP some toxically masculine knuckle-dragging man driving a pick up truck because he prefers a more subdued shade of computer lol and OP is the fragile one? 😂

If this is an attempt at summing up the thread, I’d have to give it an F. Did you miss the part where the OP said that the colors are inherently feminine, and that anybody who disagrees with him is a liar and disingenuous?

 

[Rogifan]

I’m not sure why people are comparing these to the iPhone 5c. They remind me more of the iPod Nano colors (at least the backs do). I‘m still not sure what I think about the white bezel. I’m not crazy about black with the colors either though I kind of prefer the apple logo in the front. I get the feeling the larger iMac’s will look different. Darker color choices and maybe no ‘chin’. Someone mocked up a completely white front but that looks really dated to me.

 

[imdog]

If this is an attempt at summing up the thread, I’d have to give it an F. Did you miss the part where the OP said that the colors are inherently feminine, and that anybody who disagrees with him is a liar and disingenuous?

I didn't read through 10 pages, I saw the original post and then some of the replies that I thought were over the top.
I don't want to get into political arguments here but there is a significant amount of people who are today of the belief that gender differences are a completely social construct. That I disagree with and when they do studies on babies, even babies go for certain "masculine" and "feminine" toys typically based on their gender. I don't know if colors have this same gender difference in babies.

Even if all gender differences were a "social construct", I don't see how OP is wrong in pointing out that these iMacs have a stereotypically feminine appearance, even if it's socially constructed. Are people bad if they fit into their socially constructed gender role? Is it bad that he would like an iMac that looks darker?

 

[fathergll]

Wow 10 pages already. Interesting sign on how quickly things change. If this topic was posted 10 years ago wouldn't have been a "hot" issue. Anyway carry on.

 

[SuperMatt]

I didn't read through 10 pages, I saw the original post and then some of the replies that I thought were over the top.
I don't want to get into political arguments here but there is a significant amount of people who are today of the belief that gender differences are a completely social construct. That I disagree with and when they do studies on babies, even babies go for certain "masculine" and "feminine" toys typically based on their gender. I don't know if colors have this same gender difference in babies.

Even if all gender differences were a "social construct", I don't see how OP is wrong in pointing out that these iMacs have a stereotypically feminine appearance, even if it's socially constructed. Are people bad if they fit into their socially constructed gender role? Is it bad that he would like an iMac that looks darker?

Between 1918 and about 1940, pink was for boys and blue was for girls. In the decades before that, all kids, boys or girls, wore white dresses when they were little. You can see the sources for this historical data earlier in the thread. These are social constructs, and we can agree or disagree with whether we like them. But telling people they are disingenuous liars if they don’t believe the iMac colors are feminine is not conducive to the discussion.

The thing is, if the OP said the things you are saying, then I honestly wouldn’t have a problem with it. But you are sanitizing his comments quite extensively. You also aren’t calling me a liar for thinking that these colors are not feminine.

Do some of the colors match with a stereotypical feminine color palette? One could think that, but again - these are marketed as being “spring” colors, and if you look at the colors used in marketing items sold for spring and/or the Easter holiday, you will see that these iMacs are quite similar.

If the OP wants to insert his views on gender and associated colors, great. But he asked if others agreed, and when they did not, he called them liars. That’s not a good way to discuss anything IMHO.