Lawmaker’s 'Hunter Pink' Memo Sparks Outrage

A Republican state lawmaker from Wayland suggests that women should be allowed to wear "hunter pink" when they go hunting. But Rep. Steven Johnson's idea has not gone over well with constituents or fellow lawmakers.

Johnson sponsored the proposed bill that would permit pink as a state-approved after measure. The bill also would overrule the Michigan Natural Resources Commission, which last year said no to the color.

Though the bill remains in committee, a memo written by Johnson in support of the bill contains language many are finding offensive, including one of Johnson’s House colleagues, Rep. Jeremy Moss, a Democrat from Southfield. Moss isn’t on the committee reviewing the bill, but was given a copy of the memo by a legislator who is, and immediately tweeted images of the document.

Some of the claims the memo makes include:

• “Women prefer to always look and feel attractive (even while hunting), having pink as and option can help with any insecurities over what they are wearing.”
• “When a woman walks into a hunting apparel retailer and can see a section of pink, she can immediately identify that that section of the store is specifically for her.”
• “Pink is color that can immediately identify a female, women don't want to be mistaken as a man, even from a distance in the woods.”

Many retweeted the memo, including one state legislature candidate, Planned Parenthood and comedian Chelsea Handler, who wrote “Yes, women always love to pink. It’s the only color we love.” Sheril Kirshenbaum, host of Michigan State’s Our Table summed up many female hunters’ sentiments in her retweet of the memo image: “I’m okay being mistaken for a man, ‘even at a distance, or in the woods.’ I’d prefer not to be mistaken for a bear or deer though.”