Summary

The article discusses the concept of "white privilege," advocating for its acknowledgment with context and nuance to foster understanding and address systemic inequalities without contentiousness.

Abstract

The author of the article reflects on their personal journey with understanding white privilege, emphasizing that it is not an attack on individual character but a recognition of systemic advantages afforded to white people. The piece argues that the term "privilege" is appropriate when used with context, highlighting the importance of addressing the unearned benefits that white people receive in society, particularly in comparison to the barriers faced by Black and Brown individuals. The author suggests that the focus should be on shifting public policies to achieve equality and necessary change, rather than getting bogged down in arguments over terminology or engaging in performative rhetoric. The article also touches on the differences between systemic, cultural, and social forms of racism, and the role of intersectionality in understanding privilege. It encourages open dialogue and self-reflection, urging readers to consider the ways in which they may be privileged and to engage with these conversations on a human level.

Opinions

The author acknowledges their initial defensiveness upon learning about white privilege but now sees its semantic utility in sociological discussions.
The term "privilege" is seen as valid for describing unearned systemic advantages, despite some white people's discomfort with the word due to its connotations of entitlement.
The article argues that white people generally only experience cultural or social racism, whereas BIPOC communities face systemic, cultural, and social racism.
The author agrees with the idea that public self-flagellation by white people is not productive and instead encourages allyship through diverse reading material and interpersonal outreach.
The piece emphasizes that the term "white privilege" should be used with context and not as a weapon to dismiss or devalue individual experiences.
It is suggested that the term "privilege" should not be abandoned, as it clinically describes real systemic issues that need to be addressed.
The author references other writers who discuss the importance of awareness versus culpability in the context of privilege and the need for productive conversations rather than lectures.
The article highlights the importance of intersectionality, acknowledging that while white people may experience privilege in some contexts, they can also face discrimination in others, such as gender, sexuality, or class.
The author criticizes the use of whataboutisms that deflect from discussions about systemic racism in America by citing anti-white racism in other countries.
The piece calls for a more nuanced understanding of privilege, recognizing that it is not a one-size-fits-all concept and that individuals can be both privileged and oppressed in different aspects of their lives.
The author encourages intellectual honesty and open dialogue, suggesting that readers should ask for examples when asked to check their privilege and be willing to engage in meaningful conversations about privilege and oppression.

White People Shouldn’t Be Afraid of the Term ‘White Privilege’

If everyone is willing to have these discussions with context and nuance, then it doesn’t need to be contentious

As debates continue to rage about social justice, there’s been nitpicking galore as to whether the term “privilege” is useful or appropriate. Many say it reflects the realistic injustices faced by marginalized groups whereupon people who belong to a specific category are favored. Many others claim that it fails to see people’s full humanity or recognize an accurate confluence of lived experiences.

More than two decades ago, I entered college. Initially, I felt confused and defensive when I was told that I possess “privilege.” However, after studying the intent behind sociological usage of the word “privilege,” I currently have no problem with how it’s applied.

To me, its semantic function makes sense. I know there are unearned advantages I receive due to being White. It doesn’t make me a bad person, nor is it necessarily an indictment of my character.

It does, however, reflect certain barriers faced by Black and Brown people that I will rarely ever face — particularly in a systemic context.

But, while I don’t have any qualms about acknowledging that I benefit from white privilege, I do understand the general umbrage taken by many White people who disagree with defining it as “privilege.”

Two summers ago, Kat M Lany illustrated this in her op-ed piece entitled “Is ‘Privilege’ Really the Right Word?” Ms. Lany points out that “privilege” sounds like something that’s an entitlement. She believes this choice of wording mischaracterizes “privileges” as things in life that should be considered basic human rights for everyone.

So, today, I’m going to break it down further for those of you who still remain skeptical about “privilege” being used to refer to unearned systemic advantages.

It Isn’t a Dirty Word!

In a piece from last spring, Matthew Meador summarizes it with mindful context. He lists many valid examples of ways Black, Indigenous, & People of Color face oppression in which White people usually don’t. They include:

Harassment and life-threatening violence from police officers
Being racially profiled in stores
Shitty treatment, as customers, from service workers
Banks and real estate providers denying loans or credit due to how one looks or how their name appears on paper
Harsher jail/prison sentences regardless of a crime’s severity level

At this point, the focus should be on how we shift to public policies which will bring about equality and necessary change. Unfortunately, too many White people deny the data or personal testimonies that prove how these systemic forms of racism are indeed a major problem.

Thus, our society gets bogged down by arguments over who has permission or standing to speak freely about these topics.

One faction (“All Lives Matter”) tries to act as though race no longer matters, thereby gaslighting anybody who seeks to shed light on the unjust state of race relations in America…

While another faction (educators of so-called “antiracism”) doubles down on the counterproductive dogma of guilt and shame that’s spewed by Robin DiAngelo and her pretentious acolytes…

And we keep going around in circles.

Isn’t anybody else tired of it?

Context Is Everyone’s Best Friend

Let’s be clear about one thing: I’m not trying to claim that White people *never* experience racism. Of course we do.

But there are differences between systemic, cultural, and social forms of racism, as I’ve outlined here:

Here’s How You Can Identify An “-Ism”

A broad formula for pinpointing racism, sexism, etc. — with nuanced variations addressed

eichy815.medium.com

White people generally only can experience cultural racism or social racism. BIPOC communities, by contrast, are burdened with all three subcategories of racism being inflicted upon them.

It’s an extra layer.

In her June 2020 piece entitled “It’s Time To Retire The Term ‘White Privilege’,” Maj-le Bridges makes the case for a new approach to racial justice. As a Black woman, she doesn’t believe that public self-flagellation from apologetic White people will move the needle on equality or reform.

Instead, Ms. Bridges encourages White people who wish to be allies to pursue activities such as more diverse reading material or interpersonal outreach toward neighbors/coworkers of color.

In her Comments Section, my response was as follows:

Being White myself, I have absolutely no problem with the term “white privilege” being used per se. What’s important is that it’s used WITH CONTEXT.

Telling a White person how they are benefitting from white privilege is indeed relevant if it’s addressing either one’s actions or a larger systemic problem based on racial classifications. If a Black or Brown person is sharing an adverse component they’ve witnessed or directly experienced, it’s absolutely critical that the awareness of that problem be linked to white privilege in a demonstrable way.

What’s unacceptable (dare I say, even, RACIST) is weaponizing a White person’s racial identity (via “The Association Fallacy”), as a reductionist talking-point or lacking context, in order to try to get the “upper hand” in dialogue or negotiation. If the author is referring to the term “white privilege” being misappropriated in this type of manner, then I definitely agree with her premise.

But the very real effects of white privilege aren’t going to just magically disappear due to us expunging the term from our vernacular. So, instead, I look at the term “white privilege” in a very clinical and matter-of-fact way, going into a discussion — and then humanize it when the evidence shows how BIPOC communities are being harmed by it.”

I stand by that assessment.

It’s a “Privilege” To Expect Others To Read Your Mind

I’d also like to refer everybody to Alejandro Betancourt’s fantastic piece from this past September:

The Case for Privilege — Why Being Privileged is Not a Bad Thing

We all have some privilege, whether we realize it or not.

medium.com

Mr. Betancourt focuses on the difference between awareness vs. culpability when it comes to the notion of “privilege.” He offers his thoughts on how we all can discuss it productively.

Or, as SMR points out: if you want to make somebody truly understand how they are privileged, the key is to relate to them on a human level — *not* to lecture them.

Kids understand the concept of fairness. Why can’t adults?

Those of you who dislike the term “privilege” are right about one thing: humane treatment *shouldn’t* be a privilege. It should be an automatic gut instinct that everybody demonstrates.

But, due to racial differences, too many people refuse to treat others as individuals. These problems are still present in our society. We can’t solve them if we don’t talk about them.

Generally, I know what people mean when they refer to somebody having “privilege.” I think what appears to be getting lost in translation is a failure to make the distinction between earned privilege and unearned privilege.

Those are two totally different dynamics.

Privilege Isn’t “One-Size-Fits-All”

Finally, we can’t have these discussions without acknowledging the role of intersectionality.

There are many White people who don’t understand how they can be privileged if they are female-presenting, LGBT+, working-class, irreligious, disabled, etc.

I can understand their confusion. But there’s a very simple way to delineate it.

White people receive unearned advantages due to systemic racism.

Male-presenting people receive unearned advantages due to systemic sexism.

Heterosexual people receive unearned advantages due to systemic orientationism.

Cisgender people receive unearned advantages due to systemic genderism.

Wealthy people receive unearned advantages due to systemic classism.

Christians and monotheists receive unearned advantages due to systemic religionism.

Able-bodied and able-minded folks receive unearned advantages due to systemic ableism.

When looking at systemic racism, it’s people of African, Latin American, Asian, Indigenous, Caribbean, Oceanic, and Middle Eastern descent who bear the brunt of racist systems in the United States.

Please don’t hijack the conversation with whataboutisms pertaining to some of the anti-White racism found in China or Sudan or Venezuela.

Racist systems in America are based on white supremacy.

But not all racism is systemic.

The whole basis of intersectionality is that all of us can be advantaged in some areas of our lives while simultaneously being disadvantaged in other areas of our lives.

Every. Single. One. Of. Us.

What it comes down to is that we (i.e., our schools) don’t teach intersectionality in a relevant enough way. So when people hear the word “privilege,” they automatically think of the ways in which oppression adversely affects their own lives…not in terms of the ways in which they possess unearned advantages.

Multiple things can be true at the same time. Intersectionality is a widely-spanning spectrum of juxtaposed privilege and oppression.

If someone asks you to “check your privilege” or consider any unfair advantages you’ve been given — it’s completely reasonable for you to ask them for examples, in response. Let them question you. Answer their questions honestly.

Anybody who is intellectually honest about their desire to enact meaningful change will take the time to have that dialogue with you. But you need to be willing to meet them halfway.

And if they are one of those DiAngelo-cultists who simply is trying to “make an example out of” you by spewing their performative rhetoric…don’t waste your time arguing with them, if you don’t have the patience or the energy. Just send them over to my Medium feed, where they’re free to leave those predictable comments.

I’ll happily shred them (in front of my readers), on your behalf.

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