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Michigan man criticized for memo about pink hunting attire

Posted at 1:59 PM, Jan 26, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-26 13:59:21-05

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan man has testified in support of allowing hunters to wear pink so that women can “look and feel attractive” while hunting.

Drew Born submitted a memo to the House Natural Resources Committee in support of allowing pink hunting attire because he believes the option will attract more women to hunting. Hunters currently have to wear blaze orange, the Detroit Free Press reported .

The memo is offensive and out of touch, said Rep. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield.

“I don’t think a bunch of men need to tell women what they should wear to make themselves feel attractive while they’re out in the woods hunting,” he said. “Women across the country realize that men should no longer be speaking for them, not only on their fashion sense, but on more pressing issues in the state.”

Born said any methods that would increase women getting involved in hunting are worth it.

“The whole reason to choose pink is for people to have a choice,” Born said. “I knew the moment that I phrased it as a women’s recruitment tool, it would be taken wrong.”

The Legislature passed a bill allowing hunter pink apparel in 2016 if a Natural Resources Commission study found that it could be easily seen. The commission ruled in September that at least half of a hunter’s attire must be orange.

Republican Rep. Steven Johnson of Wayland Township reintroduced the hunter pink bill last week.

The main purpose of the bill is to look into increasing safety and the memo is “remarkably irrelevant,” said Rep. Gary Howell, R-North Branch, chairman of the House Natural Resources committee.

“There is a lot of red, orange and yellow leaves that could blend into orange,” he said. “I could care less who looks attractive or unattractive in whatever color they’re wearing.”