Racist contraceptive?

[BLMquestion]

Name changed because I’ve discussed this in real life and don’t want to link to my other posts.

Recently started on the EVRA contraceptive patch. It sticks on your skin. I’m white (this is relevant). The patch is coloured a skin tone that matches mine, a pinky/beige colour.

Is it racist? Because it makes me feel like it’s been made for my skin tone and that a black woman wearing this would have something very much more visible than a white woman and so be disadvantaged.

AIBU?
YANBU- contraceptive patchers should be available in all skin tones or clear

YABU - it’s perfectly fine to have a pinky/beige contraceptive patch

I'm white and it's still pretty obvious that I have the contraceptive patch on. I don't know anyone whose skin shade would match it.

Aren't we taking this racism issue a little bit too far now?

CrazyToast

It’s symptomatic (as someone says above) of the fact that 80% of people in the country have the same colour skin (roughly), and the 20% who don’t, have a wide variety of different skin tones. So it’s just considerably more expensive to cater for everyone’s skin than it is to cater for the majority.

@Originalyellowbelly

Aren't we taking this racism issue a little bit too far now?

no we fucking aren’t

It would probably be better that they were clear for mass production, then it wouldn't really matter. It seems to be easier to get things like ballet shoes / tights in different shades these days.

I think also the term 'flesh coloured' is pretty loose. If you look at the basic flesh colour plasters they tend to range from almost pink to brown depending on the manufacturer.

Coloured plasters tend to be al sorts of colours, blue, red, green, white etc.

This isn't really a definition of "racism".

On appearance, one would guess I'm white (I'm not) but that's my skin tone. They can change the patch to brown for all I care tbh. Different story if it was a prosthetic leg or something, but a patch...?

If the manufacturers had to begin manufacturing patches in an array of colours, how much more would that cost, and how much of that cost would be passed on to the buyer ie the NHS? And would that cost be coming out of another budget?

Racist plasters? with all that's going on in the world at the moment?

I’ve used same patches previously and they were translucent not “white” - however not diminishing fact that there is inherent bias the “flesh coloured” products - medical or otherwise

I am curious (honestly don't mean to be goady). Is it because majority in UK is white so they would make different shades for different markets, or are they "pale skin tone" colour even in countries with majority of people with darker skin?

“I’ve used same patches previously and they were translucent not “white” - however not diminishing fact that there is inherent bias the “flesh coloured” products - medical or otherwise“

Apologies misunderstood product! I was thinking of hormone patches for menopause:)

Oh for goodness' sake, haven't you got something more important to worry about? Be grateful you have a free contraceptive.

Incidentally it is only in the last two years that ballet shoes in shades of black and brown have been available commercially in the UK. Previously dancers of colour had to dye their own shoes as only pink, white, and cream were available.

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/ballet-shoes-colours-pointe-dancers-dark-brown-bronze-uk-black-asian-ballerina-a8618676.html

Racism would be making contraceptives less available to some races. To avoid a baby the plaster could be silver, green or shocking pink and it would serve it's purpose. In fact they should be all the colours of the rainbow but serve their purpose.

White skin assumed as the default with no other options available has been going on for years.

Of course, because nearly everyone who lives here (UK) is white. In 2011 it was 86% of the population. Asian was 7%. Black was 3%.

Oh for goodness' sake, haven't you got something more important to worry about? Be grateful you have a free contraceptive.

If you don't see the smaller things then you miss the bigger picture that they make up.

But yes, people of colour should shut up and be grateful for what they're given. Is that what you mean?

It's not about racism but about profit and supply and demand. The majority of the population that would use these in this country are white women, being the largest female demographic. Therefore they are going to produce for the majority where the profit is. They would lose money making for a market where there isn't enough profit. I imagine the reverse is true in countries where white women are the minority, presumably the patches would be darker shades as that is where the profit would be made.

Yanbu, it seems racist to me. You’re thoughtful OP, for it to occur to you

@flaviaritt

It’s not racist, no. Racism implies distaste or antipathy. At worst it’s thoughtless.

Actually, this is considered racism now.

I suggest you look up white privilege and white fragility.

Creating a 'flesh-coloured' product such as a patch or plaster in a pinky/white tone, is definitely focussing & prioritising white people .

Think of 'flesh coloured/nude tights'. If I were black, those wouldn't be flesh coloured / nude to me.

As a PP mentioned, in the series Noughts & Crosses, this is depicted very well when Helen Baxendale's character cuts her finger and puts a brown-toned plaster on her white skin.

I'm glad things are changing to recognise differences.

,

I suggest you look up white privilege and white fragility

Oh, bugger off. Have you any idea how simultaneously patronising and ridiculous that was?

Oh dear, flaviaritt's was just the first racist post I came too.

sadly there are many more on this thread.

Thanks for highlighting an important issue OP. That actually hadn't occurred to me before.