Ouch - That Hurts: Are Your Products Racist?
Sabrina Meherally
Decolonial Design and Research Futurist, Lead @ Pause and Effect ? Change Alchemist @ Liberation Maasi's
(Note: For those who rely on screen readers, Image Descriptions are included as Alt Text)
I've always disliked Band-aids.
Instead of hiding my wounds, Band-aids brought more attention to them. On my skin, they don't blend in - they stand out. They shout, "Hey, look at me! Ask what happened."
Band-aids are not designed for Black and Brown folks. They never have been. When we prioritize and center Whiteness in design, products function as micro-aggressions (or worse). We need to use them, but for as long as we are, they're constantly reminding us that we are the "other" - not important enough, "abnormal" and different.
100 years after producing and selling band-aids worldwide - literally a week after Black Out Tuesday - Johnson & Johnson announced on Instagram that they have been listening, and will be launching a range of band-aids that embrace the beauty of diverse skin.
After an entire century, it took less than 7 days to think of a solution. That's because truthfully, they already knew the solution. They'd just not prioritized it.
This is why apart from having a diverse team, the internal working conditions and distribution of decision making power across that diversity are critical. We cannot stop at a checkbox.
8 months after that Instagram announcement, the website for Band-aids unfortunately still looks like this:
And the product line unfortunately still looks like this:
What's the diff between HYDRO SEAL and WATER BLOCK anyway? To me, it looks like prioritizing "fancier" designs that are built on a flawed foundation.
Cue, Tru Color Bandages. This is a company that was established around the principle of representation and "Diversity in Healing". Tru Color launched in 2014 with a variety of skin tone bandages and kinesiology tapes. Also notice the difference of shades, in contrast to Band-aid's promotional post on Instagram.
For many racialized folks, exclusion has been normalized - it's literally just "the way it is". So when we find a product that acknowledges us, that makes feel seen, and makes life easier, we experience what White folks seem to experience all the time. We matter.
![A tweet from Dominique Apollon reads "It's taken me 45 trips around the sun but for the first time in my life I know what it feels like to have a "band-aid" [referring to tru color bandages] in my skin tone. You can barely even spot it in the first image. For real, I'm holding back tears" The tweet shows two images of this person's hand with a dark brown bandage on one finger.](https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/v2/C5612AQGjYPA1IV4UxA/article-inline_image-shrink_1500_2232/article-inline_image-shrink_1500_2232/0/1613328173375?e=1738195200&v=beta&t=Qb9j_zqv2NdcreANkAA19Wk1bd9TMyq35P26k55B1yw)
Note, the person in the tweet above is wearing a "Tru Color" bandage and not a Band-aid, as those still don't exist.
Intentional or not, the impact of prioritizing privileged identities in design is that companies continue to offer better experiences for those who are cis, straight, able-bodied, white, men of upper class. And they continue to harm, neglect and treat as an after-thought, the people who do not fit this colonial definition of "normal" or "average".
So, if you're going to buy a bandage - consider supporting Tru Color. They sell their product on Amazon and at Target online, and are co-owned by Black majority leadership.
UX/UI Designer | Accessibility expert, creative problem solver, and purpose led experience designer at CABI
3 年Reminds me of makeup brands, ballet slippers, and anything with the word "nude" attached to it. I get really excited whenever something FINALLY gets an update from the pale beige iteration of "nude" to promote other skin tones. Loved this.
Video Experiences Product Lead @ The Walt Disney Company
3 年This is a great write up Sabrina Meherally (she/her). I definitely remember when Band Aid announced this and was more excited than I should've been about something so simple. The line about them already knowing the solution hits home, because so many companies know the various solutions to the issues they have with regard to inclusion and yet so many continually fail to make changes.
Contributing to social, environmental and economic impact
3 年Wow, never thought of that. Great point.
CEO @ Yield Exchange - investment marketplace | BIV 40 under 40
3 年“After an entire century, it took less than 7 days to think of a solution. That's because truthfully, they already knew the solution. They'd just not prioritized it.” - wow truth. What a thoughtful and thought provoking peice, Sabrina. Inclusive and equitable solutions, products, experiences are possible! It simply just needs to be prioritized!
Helping brands grow with inclusive marketing | Inclusive Marketing Consultant, Strategist & Coach | Host of the Inclusion & Marketing Podcast | Forbes & Inc. Columnist
3 年Really great article covering such an important topic. Business is about belonging - and if a brand can’t be bothered to even try to create products that meet the needs of consumers that fall outside the “mainstream”, then those consumers certainly won’t mind spending their money with a brand that does make them feel that way. I got emotional looking at that post with the joy about the skin colored band-aid!