These days, there seems to be an increasing amount of technological advancements aimed at making safety stylish. From jewelry that can alert others to when you’re in danger, to bras that will give an electric shock to a would-be attacker, there has been no shortage of wearable, discreet safety measures for women.
Now entering the arena is the nail polish brand Undercover Colors. Developed by four male undergrads at North Carolina State University, the polish is designed to change color when coming in contact with Rohypnol, Xanax, GHB and other common date rape drugs. To see if her drink has been drugged, all a woman has to do is dip her fingertip in it.
This idea seems great at first, but some feminists argue that it’s actually contributing to a larger problem. Tara Culp-Ressler of Think Process wrote that this development could feed the fire that is our victim-blaming culture, pointing out the possibility that, “college students who don’t use the special polish could open themselves up to criticism for failing to do everything in their power to prevent rape.”
That being said, the creators of Undercover Colors definitely have their hearts and minds in the right place, urging their followers on Facebook to contribute to similar organizations like Men Can Stop Rape. Their product is not on the market yet, but they are accepting donations to fund their project through their website.
So what do you think? Is this a good idea, or should more time and resources be spent teaching people respect and equality, rather than how to prevent assault in the first place?
(Images via Undercover Colors)
