White: Male Privilege

Privilege is defined as “a special advantage or authority possessed by a particular person or group” in the Cambridge Dictionary. Globally, white individuals are often granted privileges than minority groups do not receive. While white privilege often goes unnoticed by white individuals, it causes many disadvantages for people of color and effects how they see themselves. Furthermore, Affirmative Action attempts to equal the playing field for minorities but is faced with contention by many white people.

Peggy McIntosh concludes white privilege is, “an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was meant to remain oblivious.” The writer came to this conclusion when observing male privilege initially in America. McIntosh discusses the lack of acknowledgement of men when it came to addressing their own advantages over women even if they could admit the position of disadvantage of women. This shed light on how white privilege is curtailed; In the United States, foundations of our society are interlaced with institutionalized privilege creates unethical levels of dominance; dominance of males over females, whites over people of color,

According to the authors, what practice(s) create white privilege is viewed in their own unique perspective but, it all fits up under one category of a specific race having the advantage to have their freedom to do what they like. Based on McIntosh view that “whites in Western societies adore recompenses that non-whites do not practice, as "an undistinguishable package of unjustified assets” (Rothenberg, 2016). White freedom represents together evident and not as much of evident submissive rewards that white people may possibly not identify they require, which differentiates it from explicit favoritism or preconception. In fact, they have been accepted as the better social status in addition to freedom to move, buy, work, play, and speak freely. It

At its core, white privilege is described to be an “invisible package of unearned assets” (McIntosh, 2002, p. 33) for white people. There are many layers explaining the manifestation of white privilege and even more explanations pertaining to its dominant presence in today’s world.

White privilege is an advantage in society that is unmerited. Though it is practiced in every day life (whether it’s subtle or not), the majority views it as “absurd” and “non-existent”. It is a taboo that creates feelings of guilt, hostility and anger, but it must be addressed and understood in order to be eradicated. It is necessary for white people to acknowledge their part in maintaining and benefiting from a society that has thrived on racial hierarchy and white supremacy for centuries. White privilege is essentially the flip side of racism; racism does not only disadvantage people of colour, but grants white people power and dominance in our so-called “post-racial” society (McKintosh, 1). In this essay, I will argue that positive and widespread representation and implied acceptance are the most important features of white privilege. Widespread representation is the most important feature of white privilege because we live in an age where the media not only reflects, but also controls our real worldviews and attitudes. The second most important feature of white privilege is adequate housing opportunities and implied acceptance and respect. It is necessary to eliminate this system that puts people in power based on their skin tone and these two aspects are crucial in order to reach that.

White privilege embraces the behaviours, values, beliefs and practices of the dominant white culture (Puzan, 2003). There are often unnoticed advantages

White Privilege is a thesis about positive racial discrimination. In exploring this thesis and in the effort of joining this decades old conversation, I think it worthwhile to fully engage Peggy McIntosh's thesis. White Privilege contains a comprehensive list of privileges that I will now check my privilege by.

In “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Peggy McIntosh we discuss the concept of white privilege, and white male privilege and its existence in modern day society. McIntosh goes on to speak of how unacknowledged white male privilege is a phenomenon that is constantly being denied and protected. Mcintosh compares white privilege to an “invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools and blank checks.”(175) Much of male oppressiveness is unconcious, basically, many men don’t realize that what they are doing is oppressive towards other people.

This statement took me for a loop. I defiantly have no idea where this author is coming up with these ideas. I had to read a few lines down from this sentence to understand that this is her own feelings and seems to have no facts backing her claim. To be honest, I don’t even understand this statement “white privilege” or the statement “male privilege.” I have heard the terms before but really have never taken it seriously. So what is white privilege? "White privilege is the ability for Whites to maintain an elevated status in society that masks racial inequality." (Wikipedia) So the same goes with male privilege. I

The concept of racism has always been seemingly foreign to me. As well, I can sadly remember questioning whether or not white privilege exists. In my ignorance, I questioned this in almost the exact same manner as the guy does to Professor Hunk in Ifemelu’s blog post “What Academics Mean by White Privilege. I even pondered the question the guy asks: “Why must we all talk about race…”(429). This blog offers a beautiful, understandable explanation of what white privilege is to both gift to those who have difficulty expressing the issue with their lighter skinned friends and to educate those who are ignorant to said issues.

White privilege refers to the benefits that white people gain from society that minority members are not privy to. White privilege is walking around the land of the free and being free. Free of judgement, free of stereotypes and free of danger. When you come across the term “privilege” you instantly think of something being earned. But, if one looks a little further they will see that, this is not the case. In today’s society it is not earned, but given, given to “the man”. An act that happens in everyday life has become a norm to society, in which minorities are suppressed of what we all should have access to. But because of white privilege, the education that the Hispanic boy wants, the director position the female qualifies for or the house

Last week I attended the American Psychological Association Convention in Toronto, Canada. During a session, a White male talked that how is beginning to see and understand privilege, particularly white privilege. The discussion continued with other comments about privilege and all from those who were the recipients of white privilege. According to the dictionary, privilege is a right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor (marriam-webster, n.d.). Those that are privileged fall under different categories. One area that people often glaze over, as well, is heterosexism, which is when heterosexuals discriminate or show prejudice toward

After reading chapter one of the text the White Privilege Concept mentioned caught my attention most pertaining to the example of the a white women being able to use a credit card without suspicion, whereas the black women draws skepticism . Only because I’ve seen such behavior where I currently work, and I had encountered a similar situation recently that exemplified the concept.

As a white male living in the United States of America, one could say that I am privileged. However, whether or not I live a privileged life is a matter of comparison. There are certainly people who are more privileged, and absolutely people who are less. It is not likely that one will find the definition of a privileged life in a dictionary. Simply put, it is too hard to fit such a broad meaning into the three or so lines of an average definition. There are many different interpretations of the meaning, and this essay’s purpose is to explain the differences between them.

The article, White Privilege began by comparing white privilege to male privilege by addressing the populations drive for power. It is explained that the male population is willing to recognize that women have a disadvantage but are unwilling to identify their own advantage because they in no way want to lessen their benefits. The same ideology is used when discussing white privilege. White privilege may not be recognized by those who possess it because they are not taught to recognize it due to them holding the advantage. Similarly, those who have the upper hand would, in most cases, not want to willingly give it up. Gallagher (2003) stated “It seems to be that obliviousness about white advantage, like