Bandaged

This morning Little Man got a small cut on his finger and needed a band aid.  It just so happened awhile ago that I was able to find these bandages, called Ourtone, that are designed specifically for different shades of Black skin.  I thought it was a fabulous idea and had squirreled away a few boxes for when they might be needed.  Little Man didn't really know what to think; after a few attempts to chew the bandage off he went on his merry way and hasn't really paid it much mind.  I'd like to think when he is older, however, he will get the significance.

The idea of band aids that match Black skin seems rather obvious, but it sure took some time for them to come to fruition.  The same is happening with similar products; I've seen stories about Black ballet dancers who finally have pointe shoes that match their skin tone like other dancers have had for so long.  During the holidays I saw many ads for wrapping paper, pajamas, and more that featured a Black Santa Claus.  The idea that everyone should be able to see themselves mirrored in their lives shouldn't be so hard, and yet for some it is.  A recent Tweet decried the Ourtone band aids, calling them "woke" and unnecessary.  Besides pushing back on responses that it's no big deal if a band aid doesn't fully match, the poster emphasized that the bandages were in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement and were simply a reactionary measure.

To the first point, I say:  it's only no big deal not to have a matching band aid when everything else in one's life does match.  The poster, who is white, is clearly speaking from a place of privilege.  Her quick dismissiveness is easy when she lives a life devoid of microaggressions or outright discrimination.

To the second point, I say:  exactly.  Different colored band aids are not the cure to a broken system, but any step forward is something to acknowledge.  As I write this, the country is reeling from the killing of Tyre Nichols.  In that sense, getting encouraged by band aids for Black skin feels superficial -- the fear I feel for Little Man as he gets older can't exactly be assuaged by one small new product.  Maybe writing about bandages is my cowardly way of glossing over real issues I often feel helpless to face.  Perhaps, though, it takes lots of little waves to push the tide.