The world is full of colors, whether we can see them or not. We pick out the colors we want to wear to express ourselves in a way that only we can. We look at scenery in the peak of fall to watch the green turn to golden fire spreading across a forest, or even just in your backyard. More often than not we seek areas that will be the most vibrant to bring out a variety of emotions. So what happens when you can’t see that color? Does it really change someone’s way of life, or does it stay fairly the same?

Colors are such an amazing thing, visually and scientifically. No matter what you look at there will always be color. The few people I know who have color blindness were only blind to a few colors. Even though they couldn’t see reds or greens their brains changed the shades into colors they could see. Cool, right? What makes color even more amazing is how it works. What we are able to see is just a frequency of light, a type of radiation between ultraviolet and infrared (~400-700 Terahertz), that bounces off of objects. What we see is what the object displaying the color isn’t able to absorb. So imagine if objects we know and love as one color were suddenly able to absorb the color we know it to be?

I can’t speak for anyone who has any type of color blindness. Many people have it and they’re just like you and me. You would never realize they’re color blind until faced with a question or little quiz asking them to differentiate between a variety of shades or pigmentation. Even once you find out, it’s not like it would affect the relationship between those who know them. Sure a few jokes may crop up, some teasing, but no one should be judged or excluded just because they don’t see the world as everyone else does. But, surprise, those who are color blind are still seeing some color. Even though it’s not as vibrant as what we experience, black and white are still colors!

When the world is in shades of black, white, and gray it’s harder to appreciate all the colors the world has to offer. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate what you can see. Even Bob Ross, a master of creating stunning landscapes with vibrant colors, made art in black and white to prove that even a lack of color can be beautiful. Different shadows, swatches of light, and bodies of gray can convey just as much emotion as full color can; it just may not seem like it in the moment. Living in a monotone world may make it seem boring compared to how people describe a world of color, but in a way it makes it just as interesting. You won’t be distracted by a certain shade or influenced by a company’s color choice; rather, you’re free to distinguish everything according to how you experience it.

So the final thing to ask is: Does the full range of color, or lack thereof, really impact daily life?

Her Nexx Chapter invites you to join our free Community where women from around the world are connecting with each other’s stories, exploring different experiences, and transforming ideas.

The Future of Connection for Women