Maybe you have never wondered about this, but today I did.
I'm reading the Autobiography of Malcom X atm. Every white person in the U.S. should be required to read that book. I make an effort to understand the subtle and pervasive ways that 'white' is given preference to 'black' in this country, but reading the book has made me realize that my efforts are always going to fall short. The problem runs very deep. This one example is indicative, but it is not the problem. It is a symptom. Alleviating symptoms is well and good, but the problem is that we are all racists to a degree in one form or another. I believe that we all are.
Is it your first time reading it? I read it for the first time in 7th grade and again my freshman year of college. I think I'd like to make it a point to reread it every couple of years because it blew my mind wide open each time I read it. I find it very grounding.
I can't help but think that this is a solution looking for a problem. If people wanted a band-aid that matched their skin, they could get a clear one. It would match perfectly. Those don't seem to be the dominant band-aids out there either. I think that when people want a band-aid, they're just looking for something to cover their wound. It's only temporary and not really invisible regardless of skin color. If it was something more cosmetic for a longer time like make-up, I might see more of a point.
The clear band-aids typically have a 'flesh-colored' patch on the gauze part. Even if the tape is perfectly clear, a white gauze will look less obvious on 'white' skin than 'black' skin. Perhaps a better way to think about it, is if currently all band-aids were dark, or if the clear ones had a dark gauze patch. In that case, it would be understandable for 'white' people to want a lighter option rather than sport something that looked like a large mole or birthmark at a distance.
Would you? Let's say that the clear band-aids had a brown patch because they said that it covered the color of blood that got on it. That's actually something I've wanted. I've used the clear band-aids before but the white gauze would show the blood on them so I wanted the gauze patch a little darker. If there was a darker gauze patch, would you appeal to the company requesting a lighter patch to match your skin? tbh, there are a lot of ways that people are discriminated against in big and small ways every day. The things I'd focus on are the things that took people's dignity. I'm not seeing this as one of those things.Perhaps a better way to think about it, is if currently all band-aids were dark, or if the clear ones had a dark gauze patch. In that case, it would be understandable for 'white' people to want a lighter option rather than sport something that looked like a large mole or birthmark at a distance.
It's bad marketing all the way around though. Flesh tone is so very variable. The original band-aids didn't exactly match too many people's skin tone, so marketing it as flesh colored doesn't make sense. But I doubt that the black band-aids matched everyone's skin tone either, even with all the different variations, so calling them flesh colored isn't a very good marketing device either.