- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Swedish Pharmacies Skin-Deep in Band-Aid Racism Row

© Flickr / FreriekeHands: black and white
Hands: black and white - Sputnik International
Subscribe
Pharmacies in Sweden have been accused of racism, because despite having a multitude of shapes and sizes, their stock of skin-colored plasters only come in one color – beige.

London police officers - Sputnik International
Private Police Facebook Group Reveals Racism of British Force
Anti-racism activists in Sweden have accused the country's pharmacies of racism, because their skin-colored Band-Aids only come in light colors, reports Sveriges Radio.

Migrants are pictured sleeping at dawn in an open air camp after spending the night oustide, on June 19, 2015 in Paris - Sputnik International
Swedish Keyboard Warriors Fuel Migrant Hate Crimes - Anti-Racism Org
The stock of beige Band-Aids is an example of 'everyday racism,' said activist Paula Dahlberg, a representative of Sweden's Left Party, who was adopted from Colombia.

In an interview with Sveriges Radio, Dahlberg complained that the problem forces her to look for clear plasters.

"Usually I try and find a clear plaster, to try and be a little more discreet, precisely because there are no plasters available close to my skin color," she told the radio station.

Eva Fernvall, of Swedish pharmacy chain Apoteket, responded sympathetically to the complaint.

"It is a bit embarrassing that we haven't thought of it ourselves," said Fernvall, and promised to try and find a supplier of darker plasters.

In a blog post in the Fria Tider news website, Dahlberg said that the problem was an example of the "whiteness norm" that exists in Sweden, where the majority of the population has white skin.

"It's a part of what is usually called the whiteness norm, that white individuals are what is the norm, they are the obvious," said Dahlberg.

Fellow anti-racism activist Steffi Aluoch told Sveriges Radio that the problem is not confined to Band-Aids:

"If you google "nude dress," you start to understand, what is meant by the concept "nude." A sea of beige shades."

"Producers are beginning from the assumption, that all of their customers are white people. It means that we are not worth creating products for."

Aluoch said the problem is not just confined to sticking plasters:

"It could be for example underwear, tonal cream, which are meant for all types of skin. It seems ludicrous to me, because they are all talking about one type of skin – beige tones. There is a feeling that somebody decided, that my color of skin is not taken into account by society. It is some kind of dehumanization," said Aluoch.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала