Think pink

Everywhere I look, I'm seeing pink! Not just on women. That's a given since I would bet that more woman in Japan wear pink than in any other country. Pink shoes. Pink handbags. Pink t-shirts, blouses, skirts, sweaters, bows, and, yes, some of them carry pink dogs or dogs with pink clothing, bows, and toenails.

What has really astonished me, however, is seeing so many men wearing pink. I'm not just talking about the metrosexuals with their manga-style haircuts. Men of all ages are wearing pink. I just saw the Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, wearing a pink shirt as he worked the crowd during his reelection campaign.

Male newscasters are wearing pink sports coats and pink ties. A significant number of my middle-aged male students come to Saturday classes wearing pink polo shirts.

I can't remember ever seeing more than a handful of men in America wearing pink, but maybe the craze has spread there this summer. American men seem to be too macho to feel comfortable wearing pink, I would think. There's also that whole thing about seeming, well, too swishy if you know what I mean. American men seem to worry about that. A lot.

So, am I out of touch with American men, or is this just a Japanese trend?