Tony Soprano (and mobster types everywhere) made it OK for dudes to get manicures. Diddy has become the poster boy for manscaping. And now, as if we need more proof that it’s a man’s world, a handful of “creative” entrepreneurs are doing what they can to lend masculinity to some products that have traditionally been perceived as girly. It’s a phenomenon I’ve dubbed “dude-washing,” and all of a sudden, it’s everywhere.

Ben Hill County Jail in Georgia will be undergoing some pretty severe interior decoration soon. So, why do we care? The whole jail will be painted Pepto-Bismol pink on the inside and re-refurbished in the girly hue: pink walls, pink shower curtains, pink bed sheets, pink blankets, even pink handcuffs. I wonder how much that is costing taxpayers.
But why a loud Pepto-Bismol pink, of all colors? Are they trying to torture these prisoners? No, they’re trying to shame them. Because, you know, pink is a feminine color. There is no punishment worse than making a man be the slightest bit feminine, apparently.

I was raised by a working, single mother. She went to Stanford, majored in economics, became a public school teacher, wrote a book, and now works as a journalist. She didn’t give up her job when she had my sister or me, and she certainly didn’t give it up after she and my father divorced. I consider her the ultimate feminist—she’s worked her butt off, made a living on her own, and raised two perfect daughters (just kidding). She’s my hero. But if she had quit her job when I was born, retiring at age 31, would she still be my #1 role model? It’s hard to say.