# Origin of the invisible pink (or purple) unicorn

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-invisible-pink-or-purple-unicorn/146377>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 3, 2003, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-invisible-pink-or-purple-unicorn/146377 "2003-01-03T06:19:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-invisible-pink-or-purple-unicorn/146377/1 "2003-01-03T06:19:34Z")

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Does anybody know how it got started? I am seeing it on more and more boards.

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**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-invisible-pink-or-purple-unicorn/146377/2 "2003-01-03T06:30:13Z")

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You’re seeing an invisible unicorn more and more frequently?

[You are clearly a boobie, and belong in the boobie-hatch.](http://btflatt.tripod.com/stories/thurb1.htm)

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**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-invisible-pink-or-purple-unicorn/146377/3 "2003-01-03T06:42:15Z")

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All you wanted to know about [The Invisible Pink Unicorn](http://www.palmyra.demon.co.uk/humour/ipu.htm), but were afraid to ask.

IIRC, the IPU was first revealed to the world via usenet.

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**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-invisible-pink-or-purple-unicorn/146377/4 "2003-01-03T07:34:09Z")

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The IPU (pbhhhh) is a creation of alt.atheism on Usenet.

We use it to confound and confuse our more…umm…zealous theist posters. 🙂

Binky, the 900 Foot Carrot God, is her profit.

Works on several levels - prove there isn’t one is always good, and explaining how we take it on “faith” that She’s pink is always good for a few posts as well.

Grace  
a.a #1752

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**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-invisible-pink-or-purple-unicorn/146377/5 "2003-01-03T17:04:51Z")

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Do you have any idea when did it get started?

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**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-invisible-pink-or-purple-unicorn/146377/6 "2003-01-03T17:21:51Z")

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The earliest I can Google it back is March 17, 1992 in alt.atheism. a.a. oldtimers credit Jeff Young with Her invention.

Grace