Let’s Talk White Privilege

Many white people deny having white privilege. In response, Kahlil Fair, a Jamaican American who is negatively affected by the privilege, claims that it’s because white people aren’t “cognizant of the fact that their position is different from the minority of America.” He continued, “Rather than deciding to dismantle their privilege for equality, [white people] uphold it by denying and pretending like it doesn’t exist.” 

Similar to Kahlil, I was convinced of their ignorance upon initially hearing that. However, a friend helped me realize that some white people might not be aware of their white privilege because they have only been exposed to a very constrained community with no diversity. So here I am, providing the first step towards awareness:

Yes, white privilege exists. It’s not forbidden to speak on it, nor should one feel guilty about it. Having white privilege doesn’t mean that white people don’t struggle, it means that their skin color isn’t a factor in their struggle.

So why does white privilege exist? 

Slavery, colonialism, and biases – the short answer. 

Decades ago, white privilege consisted of having the right to vote, the right to a wage, the right to sanitary conditions, the right to own property, to name a few. Now, white privilege has evolved to a more (un)consciously enjoyed, built-in advantage that is consciously perpetuated due to systemic racism and biases. 

Let me offer a few examples:

• White supremacists are able to riot through four layers of security into the White House fully armed. In contrast, the BLM peaceful protesters were confronted with the capitol’s security fully armed and loaded with weapons outside the White House.
• White people generally have a good relationship with any authorities and feel comfortable going to them for help, such as the police and medics, while other historically marginalized groups in America are afraid of even calling them if they’re in danger.
• Most white history is taught and represented in the school curriculum while other races and cultures are offered as electives, if available at all. 

I am aware some might say, “Well, it’s the 21st century. We have laws against minorities being discriminated against.” If only this country operated in our favor… White privilege is ingrained into American society, much like racism. There is no power struggle between white people and people of color. Being white is not solely a skin color, it contains systemic advantages in social, political, and economic practices.

White is seen as the norm; white people are seen as a representative of all races, whereas people of color are only seen to represent their racialized experiences. Moreover, while recent years are showing diversity, there is still a predominantly positive portrayal of white influencers at the social forefront. This creates a protective barrier humanizing white people’s struggles leading to more compassion and leniency. In contrast, this leads to more racial profiling, implicit stereotyping, and a lack of compassion for people of color due to the lack of positive media representation. 

White privilege is having the power to remain silent during racial injustice.

What can white people do with their conscious privilege?

1. Own up to your privilege without getting defensive.
2. Spread your newfound knowledge to other white people while further educating yourself.
3. Learn to listen when people of color speak about their experiences and amplify their voices.
4. Use your privilege to speak up during racial injustice and encourage instilling equal practices in society.

Citation: Dillard, Coshandra, et al. What Is White Privilege, Really? 2018, www.tolerance.org/magazine/fall-2018/what-is-white-privilege-really. 

Let us all commit to a forever of accountability and justice <3