General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: "Lets work together to end racism" is more constructive than "whites need to check their privilege". [View all]PatrickforO
(14,634 posts)the essay called 'White Privilege' written by Peggy McIntosh back in the 1970s.
As a white male in my mid-fifties, I can readily acknowledge the discomfort some white people have with the 'white privilege' concept.
The problem is, as a white male, I really DO enjoy white privilege. What is it, you ask?
Well, whatever our color of skin or gender, we are all subject to human problems. Our feet hurt. We need to go shopping and don't feel like it. We are worried about being laid off. Our car needs new tires.
I worry about stuff like that the same way everyone else does. There are, however, some things I'll NEVER have to worry about:
- I will never have to worry about a clerk in a retail store following me around because he's afraid I'll steal something
- I will never have to worry about getting stopped out of the blue by cops and frisked because of my skin color
- I will never have to have the same conversations with my kids about cops that black parents have to have about the 'use of force continuum' - truth is I'd never even heard of that until I spoke to some people of color about how sick it was that Trayvon Martin went out to the store to get candy and never came back because a clown named Zimmerman decided he didn't belong there because he was black. The black parents I spoke with knew all about it and educated me.
- I will never have to worry about being subtly steered away from moving into a certain area, or not being offered good interest terms on a loan because of my color
- I will never have to worry about being ignored by car, appliance or electronics sales people because they don't think a black person would have the money to buy what they are selling
- If I get promoted at my job, I'll never have to worry about people believing that promotion was because of my skin color and that I'm nothing but a 'token.'
This is white privilege and it is very, very real, especially for white males. Maybe that's what is meant by 'whites need to check their privilege.' Maybe 'checking' their privilege means just being aware of it, and being empathetic to people of color who have to worry about all those things I've listed above and then some.