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

Look at concealer - the range in pink tones is much larger compared to darker tones.
Yes it’s a majority white country but we exist.

Cosmetic companies' aim is to make money. It makes perfect sense that their product range would be designed to appeal to the maximum number of customers, so in GB, that means the (vast) majority of concealers would be suitable for white skin tones.

Would I, as a white woman, be likely to find a wide range of products catering to my pale skin and fine straight hair in, say, Ghana? Would it be racism if I could not?

@Cam2020

Should I feel 'less than' because my Caucasian skin tone is not bright plaster peach or or dull beige? You've giving me a complex now, OP.

This is such a dismissive comment. Beige items which are described as skin/flesh toned probably don't exactly match anyone's actual colour but we all know they are using white people as the default.

I think it's a valid point op.

I began writing a response and then realised it is simply a goody post. Throwing the accusation of racism around in such a way is disrespectful and will dilute the meaning and disgust associated with the word.

I agree with you. Anything skin colour is made caucasian skin colour. They should be made clear or in other skin tones. Its not something white people will easily understand though because it's not something they'll ever experience.

Goady

This isn’t being goady, but a genuine question. What’s the experience of people who’ve lived in majority non-white countries? If you lived in India, Japan, Nigeria, for example. Were there makeup options for white people?

Yes money is a big driver
But I remember a thing about the pink pound and how much of a market companies were missing.
Surely we are a big market.

I’m not a Rihanna fan but I admire her for insisting that retailers had to stock the complete shades in her make up range and not just the pink/ nude shades.

It's way darker than my skin actually, (I struggle to buy foundation etc, it's very pale) i would say it's more mid tone, Hispanic kind of coloured if you want to be accurate

Retailers unfortunately work the way that shelf space costs money. The better position, the bigger cost etc.
Space is money there. So unfortunately they won't stock something what doesn't sell in the amount they need.

I do think they should have options available at least online for order and collect and then also in stores where demographic in the area matches it. Maybe that will be something they might concentrate on soon. But again, that costs money. A lot. So they won't do it (research, planning, trials, implementing changes) just out of goodness of their hearts.

This is interesting. I'm not white and have always accepted that things may not be in my skin tone. I recently had a temporary denture fitted and what has upset me the most is that the gum is such a different colour to my own gums. I won't be laughing for the next few months. Surely it should be an option.

AmiCrazyorwhat2 - the Japanese love everything which makes their skin looks whiter. Google it.

I’m obviously don’t think mine is wrong, though it certainly is more expansive.

Cool. I’ll keep using mine, which means, for me, no, plasters aren’t racist.

On this train of thought then why should all door keys turn the wrong way for a left handed person, all the taps, all the twist opening bottles, pencil sharpeners, scissors, all machines set up for right handed people, using cutlery God I could go on. Also spend a day in a wheelchair or caring for someone who uses a wheelchair see how difficult life is. Maybe you'll think that a pink plaster is literally just that no hidden agenda. I agree tho that clear would cater for all.

The problem is that the increasingly expansive definition of racism means that it loses its value when used in its original meaning of prejudice against someone according to their skin colour and will, over time lose its social power.

We could simply say that such patches should maybe be transparent or come in a range of skin tones to cater for those whose skin tones are not close to the colour of the patch. You could note that non-white skin tones are frequently overlooked in beauty products and similar medical products. You could raise awareness about that and encourage manufacturers to do something about it. Because that is what is wanted, isn’t it? It is about filling a gap in the market and trying to ensure that this type of issue is not overlooked so often. It is not about racism, but about us needing to notice race and remember it exists, when it matters.

but imagine every single restaurant failed to cater for vegetarians and vegans- that would be annoying and missing a huge market.

Well, sure, but it wouldn’t be veganist. It wouldn’t imply antipathy or prejudice.

@KylieKoKo

If you're not white it's just one of a load of ways that society isn't designed for you. It's not that the makers are intentionally racist. It's just that white people are seen as default and the only group worth considering.

Yes and this is institutional racism 🤣

Yes op it's like plasters. Even if you hate BLM movement at least people are starting to realise the issues :)

I agree with PaleBlueMoonlight.

Racist, no. A bit shit, yes. A business opportunity, definitely.

Those making and selling them are just doing their best to make a living. It costs money to manufacture and offer options, so if there aren't choices, they're probably choosing either the cheapest option or the one they think will suit (and sell to) the highest percentage of their customers.

It's not racist.

@Whateveryouwant1

Because left handed people weren’t enslaved for being left handed, they weren’t denied to right to vote for being left handed, they weren’t lynched for being left handed, the police aren’t more likely to stop and search them for being left handed , they haven’t been bypassed for promotion because they are left handed... using your own words now, God I could go on!

Actually left handed people were absolutely discriminated against, kids at schools were punished for it, they were being retrained and in many cultures, killed. Just for being left handed.

Left handed kids used to be beaten in my grandparents time and - possibly - burned as witches in the Salem witch trial era. Left path, sinestra, etc

My grandfather had his left hand whacked by his teachers if he wrote with it and my husbands grandfather at school would either have to sit on his left hand or have it tied behind his back. Both lefties.

@FairFriday

Left handed kids used to be beaten in my grandparents time and - possibly - burned as witches in the Salem witch trial era. Left path, sinestra, etc

Also wrong. What has this got to do with the fact racism is completely within our system so that we don't even think about it because white people are the normal default?

Left-handed people were hated for centuries.

Not wrong at all. Grandparents confirm this.