Many people in our country do not enjoy the same privileges as others do. Some people have the best jobs, the best cars, and essentially the best life. Others, however, live in low income neighborhoods, do not even own a car, and are struggling every day of their life. The clear distinction between these two types of people is their skin color. People of color are at a constant disadvantage in our economy, society, and environment. This leads to different experiences that minorities face in every part of their life, including college. Our country has been built on institutionalized and systemic racism, which is why minorities as a whole have been displaced in America. In our society, white privilege effectively shows the many benefits that …show more content…
One example of white privilege, even though it is miniscule, are bandages. They usually come in a “flesh” color, but this only truly matches a white person’s skin. But, white privilege is not just limited to trivial things. In society, white people are looked upon as the most successful group, the ones who attend college, and the ones who have great careers. Compared to white people, minorities are rarely looked at being the intelligent ones who are capable of earning a degree. This is why there are so many white people on college campuses compared to minorities. Minorities are somewhat discouraged by our society to not attend college because of the lack of diversity. Another privilege white Americans enjoy is that they can go shopping alone without being followed or accused of stealing. I actually have had this happen to me various times. Whether I would be alone or with my friends at the mall or at a gas station, I would be yelled at saying I was stealing when I never had the intention of doing so. But if white people are able to acknowledge their privilege, they can help minorities significantly. Police brutality and racial profiling against minorities has grown strong in the past couple years, but has been around for quite a while. The article It Pays to Be White (2016) by Jeanette Wicks-Lim, talks about how the Boston Police
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.
1) The article “White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack” explains that shows from a very young age, we are educated to see racism on an individual level, not only racism but oppression as well. The idea of oppression starts with the topic that women are at an disadvantage when it comes to the idea that mean are the dominant sex. The male population will always have an image that they are better than women. This ties into race because men are always in competition and we notice some men believe they're better than others due to ethnicity. McIntosh explains that white privilege using the idea of an invisible weightless knapsack. To summarize that, a white person in the United States has an invisible weightless knapsack that allows for acceptance, favors from the law, and common discrimination. This is truly an issue in the United States that should and will be addressed. We can raise awareness by simply treating everyone with the same respect, not because they share the same skin tone as you.
The term “privilege” is when a person has the right or confused with having the right to do something. For example, for someone to advance their education is not a privilege perhaps it is a right. In some cases during certain situation person can be granted the privilege. White privilege is a word greatly used in social rights that advantage individuals to be acknowledged as white in Western countries, afar what is frequently proficient by non-white individuals in the same social, political, or economic conditions (Rothenberg, 2016). However, when a certain race color is treated more superior than another race is giving the advantage or benefit to have the opportunity to do anything they want without anyone trying to stop them.
Firstly, white privilege entails wide media representation, where people of colour are consistently underrepresented. Many people don’t see this as an issue at all, but it is necessary
In the online article Explaining White Privilege to a Broke White Person by Gina Crosley-Corcoran she argues with Mcintosh's understanding of the way privilege is perceived in her perspective. Mcintosh states in her article that the white people of her race are granted privileges that people of others “color” are not guaranteed in this world. For example she believes that if you are white, you are likely to have a comfortable living with a great income and family. Therefore Gina responds to her statement in a argumentative manner to prove that her belief is not true by giving a brief summary of her child. As she grew up in world of poverty in her eyes she was limited to many things in life that Mcintosh says are guaranteed for white people.
White privilege is a form of structural racism where whites are routinely advantaged while producing adverse outcomes for people of color such as Blacks and Hispanics. White privilege is a historically based system which still exists in the United States (US). In my view, white privilege system marked the beginning of racial inequality in the US. White privilege exists in the United States and is one of the contributing factors to the injustices people with color are facing in the US.
White privilege is the ability for whites to maintain an elevated status in society that masks racial inequality. It is also considered a system of advantage based on race, as well as societal privileges that benefit white people. It is usually known as the “other”, or the opposite side of discrimination. Some people in society, typically people of color, feel as though people with white skin have benefits over people of color, just because they’re white. White privilege is sometimes seen as a higher social status, having the freedom to move, buy, work, play, and speak freely as one wishes. The effects of white privilege are predominantly evident in professional and educational settings. Some critics argue that the concept of white
From this list, the two most important aspects of white privilege are: the fact that white people are taught not to recognize their privilege and the fact that it is an ongoing, institutionalized remnant of colonization. These are
“White privilege refers to the fact that in many societies, “white” people have access to greater power, authority, and privileges, than non-white people” (Robbins et al. 2013:81). It goes beyond letting white people get away with more than other races; it also discriminates against them. This is well illustrated by the history of white privilege in America and how it changed over time (Nkomo & Ariss 2013) and how white privilege is used to benefit white people (Blum n.d). Without white privilege, people would be equal and perhaps live in a more peaceful society. Therefore, if white privilege has been around for years and continues to be an issue in America and all around the world, than without educating the population and making them aware of the issue it will continue to happen.
‘Whiteness’ is a socially constructed category of race, where people who are not ‘white’ are racially designated while ‘whites’ escape designation as if their racial category is not historically and ideologically based (Puzan, 2003). Race is socially constructed (Dyer, 1997) and it is important to acknowledge this in order to address its impact. Unless whiteness is labelled and confronted, being ‘white’ is usually considered the ‘norm’ which acquires certain social privileges, while all other socially-constructed categories of ‘race’ are considered different or, as Puzan (2003) terms it, the ‘racialised Other’.
Peggy McIntosh, a well known anti-racism, defined white privilege, which all caucasians can use, as “an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I am meant to remain oblivious” (McIntosh, 1988, p.1). White privilege serves several functions. First, it provides white people with “perks” that they do not earn and that people of color (POC) do not enjoy. Second, it creates real advantages for whites. White people are immune to a lot of challenges. Finally, white privilege shapes the world in which we live — the way that we navigate and interact with one another and with the world.
The social construction of race allows “whiteness” to be regarded as the default race or the normal race. This normalization is apparent when white people ask people of color the quintessential question of “where are you from”. An attitude of alienation and “otherness” is placed on minority groups because, quite frankly, being American means being white. Throughout Peggy McIntosh’s essay, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”, she discusses the unscathed and unacknowledged effects of white privilege that are rampant in America’s society today. A hierarchical structure revolving around meritocracy is practically entrenched into our society, and those who are at the apex of this structure are able to do a myriad of things at the
The sad reality is White privilege is very prevalent in the United States and has been for the past hundreds of years not to say that there has not been improvement. This is a very touchy subject where emotions runs deep many people who do not see it as an issue do not believe that White privilege exists. I do not think it is always done purposely the way society is set up many do not realize what they are doing or some may not even care. When watching the video about the resume experience it was sad to hear the same resume with different names the jobs called back the less ethnic name and how it was estimated that it would take five weeks longer for the person to find a job that was not white. Additionally saying a person who has an ethnic
White privilege is the societal privileges that specifically benefit white people. White privilege is why white people can get pulled over by the police and escape a ticket with just a smile and apology. White privilege is also why whites are in charge of a company and they see a black person, they bypass the application. Whites carry a certain privilege not available to people of color. Marilyn Frye describes how whiteness is a form social and political power.
White privilege is defined, according to Emba, as the “the social advantage that comes from being seen as the norm in the United States, automatically conferred irrespective of wealth, gender or other factors.” Because it is an inherited membership, most of the people in this group do not understand the