In Peggy McIntosh’s writing, she argues that white privilege
and male privilege are simaliar. These
privilages are unfair to many. They are
based off of either a person’s race or sex.
A person in our society who has this privilege is thought to have an advantage
over others who do not. McIntosh
explains that the word “privilege” is very misleading. One does not have to earn these privileges,
it is given to you at birth. People who
have these “privileges” understand why they have them and try to promote
equality. McIntosh quotes; “I think
whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege, as males are
taught not to recognize male privilege.” (McIntosh 1). This proves that these “privileges” are seen
as normal to society.
I have to agree with what McIntosh talked about. I really liked the way she explained white
privilege; “White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special
provisions, maps, passports, code books, visas, clothes, tools and blank
checks.” (McIntosh 1). Reading through
the list of advantages that white people get, all I could think of was
WOW. I never realized all that. Like McIntosh stated that these privileges
are seen as normal and I can understand why.
Growing up in a town that wasn’t very diverse and most of the towns population was white, we really
weren’t able to see how our privilege was different than other students who
weren’t white.
In class the other day we had a conversation about diversity
and how people’s skin colors reflect the way they get looked at. Thinking back to the conversation and
comparing it to this reading, I was able to find a short clip where a young
lady interviewed people of different races on the street and asked them what
white privilege is. All the people
agreed that white privilege does exists and asked people who weren’t white, how
their lives would be different if they were white. This clip really makes you realize that what
McIntosh is saying is true.
I completely agree with you and I was thinking a lot of the same things when reading this article especially when reading through the list of advantages I too was thinking that I had never realized half of those things, I even read some of them to my sister because I was so shocked at the simplicity of some of the advantages that white people have that colored people do not.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the video that you chose. It really makes me think of all the advantages that I take for granted each day. It helped me to understand that everybody knows that white privilege exists and makes me sad for those who don't have these advantages.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up in the same town-I totally get where you are coming from with this. I love your hyperlink and the photos you chose. It really puts things into perspective.
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