In Dr. Martin Luther King’s empowering “I Have a Dream” speech, he stressed the importance of judging a person based on their character, not the color of their skin. Delivered on August 28, 1963, to a crowd of more than 250,000 people, Dr. King’s impassioned words inspired—and continue to inspire—people whose lives have been impacted by racial prejudice and discrimination.
While Dr. King spoke out against racism, he also advocated for diversity—the celebration of our unique differences regardless of race or skin color. As writer Colin Seale described in a recent Forbes article, Dr. King’s message was about shifting perspectives from color blindness to color kindness.
On the 60th anniversary of Dr. King’s famous speech, diversity and equality are now priorities for individuals, businesses, and governments worldwide. However, some industries still lag behind as society evolves and corporations embrace inclusivity. Adhesive bandages, for instance, have traditionally been available in light- or medium-beige tones. This color blindness negatively impacted generations of people with darker skin tones who felt excluded because their needs weren’t considered.
The standard adhesive bandage has been used in hospitals, homes, schools, the military, and businesses for over 100 years. Although they are a staple of first-aid kits around the world, bandages were rarely available in darker shades that represented the needs of diverse populations. For a person of color, wearing a light-toned bandage draws attention to the wound—instead of concealing it and helping it blend in with their natural skin tone.
Designed with Diversity in Mind
Toby Meisenheimer, the founder of Tru-Colour Skin Tone Bandages, was inspired by his adopted son after he got a small abrasion on his forehead. As Toby applied a traditional soft-pink bandage to his son’s face, Toby wondered why the diverse range of skin tones wasn’t being represented in the bandage industry. As he thought about his young son, he considered the broader impacts on people with darker skin tones who had no other option but to wear lighter-shade bandages.
In 2014, Tru-Colour Skin Tone Bandages was launched to acclaim and featured in several health and lifestyle magazines including Oprah Magazine and Teen Vogue. However, it was a 2019 tweet from a man of color that let the world know that representation in wound care had arrived. In a thread of tweets, Dominique Apollon could not contain his enthusiasm at wearing an adhesive bandage that exactly matched his dark skin.
“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 an [bandage] in my own skin tone. You can barely even spot it in the first image. For real I’m holding back tears…I truly appreciate how valued their product made me feel.”
Apollon’s sincere and honest tweet gained a swell of support from people who had experienced similar feelings when they wore lighter-shade bandages in the past. Within two weeks, the tweet went viral with over 500,000 people discovering the healing effects of inclusivity.
With their range of Skin Tone Bandages, Kinesiology Tape, and Apparel, Tru-Colour Skin Tone Bandages are revolutionizing wound care and physical therapy by promoting diversity in healing. Their advocacy of a more inclusive and representative society parallels the ambitious and hopeful words spoken by Dr. King on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial that day. By embracing our differences, Tru-Colour demonstrates that each individual has value regardless of race, skin color, or ethnicity.
Discover the healing power of diversity with bandages and kinesiology tape in brown, dark brown, olive, and beige shades. Now available in Simply Medical’s online store.
