White Privilege : The Invisible Knapsack Essay

She was not aware that race, gender, or sexuality separated a group of people. The difference between institutional and individual racism is that one targets a single person, while the other focuses on society. In modern society, we turn on the news and it focuses on individual racism, but when we look around, institutional racism is everywhere. Individual racism is when someone being attacked on the personal level because someone doesn’t agree with the color of their skin or personal beliefs. Institutional racism is major groups that have an illusion that one racial group will benefit, but others will be at the disadvantage. Am I the only one who sees such a problem with

In the speech, Equal Rights for Women by Shirley Chisholm, main rhetor in the speech. She is the first African American woman to be elected to Congress. She is part of the House, Representative in Washington D.C, from May 21, 1969, to 1983. She entered the primaries for the Democratic nomination for the presidency in 1972. Chisholm purpose is to fight for equal rights for all citizens, most specifically women. She wants to help as an advocate by providing more opportunities for women and encouraging women to do different men's work field, other than just working as a secretary, teacher, librarian, or to just be a household woman. She wants to eliminate discrimination; prejudiced on the political view of a woman. By analyzing Shirley Chisholm’s speech through rhetorical devices like the use of a strong tone, ethos, and logos, among others, this essay will seek to show how effectively Chisholm’s persuades the audience.

The readings White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, by Peggy McIntosh, White Women, Race Matters by Ruth Frankenberg and Representing Whiteness in the Black Imagination, by bell hooks, all cover the issue of whiteness from different perspectives. There are many aspects of whiteness; in this essay, I will argue that the two most important features are the absence of knowledge of the issue on the part of white people and stereotype consequences. A key point in racism is whiteness, and without understanding what whiteness means there can be no ending it. Once whites understand the problem of whiteness, they must accept the responsibility of creating it, and therefore finding a solution. Stereotypes are a second way to reinforce racism, with acknowledging the different stereotypes comes the power to dismantle them. Spatialization is a consequence of stereotyping, and therefore another issue of racism, which whites must accept. They have been unfairly privileged by and work to create equality.

A personal ethos is another factor used in Chisholm speech, to convey women who have been discriminated of their gender. There has been unprecedented prejudice that tends to be ignored from people, since every time we think about prejudice we think about the black community. But that 's not the case, Chisholm confirms with her own personal experience that women, in general, are being prejudices in politics. Chisholm claims that “as a black person, I am no stranger to race prejudice. But the truth is that in the political world I have been far oftener discriminated against because I am a woman than because I am black”(Chisholm, 149). Her history as an African American woman, Congresswoman makes her claim, and for the courage, she took in entering the presidential nomination in the Democratic party in 1972, the speech she has to introduce makes it believable and gives credibility to the reader.

Peddy McIntosh highlighted various unearned white privileges in her autobiographical article “White Privilege, Color and Crime: A Personal Account.” She illustrated the white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets that one white person could count on cashing in each day. White people have these privileges given to them by the society in which they live in. The same society taught them to be ignorant and unawareness of these privileges. This system of unearned privileges established by white individuals made people of color feel oppressed. In this system being white is a norm and dominant power. Caucasians, who benefit most from the white privilege system in the United States, are more likely to

Wise’s examination of the inconspicuous character of racism 2.0 dovetails fittingly with our course’s recurring theme of institutionalized racism. In class lectures we have defined institutionalized racism as the discriminatory practices that have become regularized and routinized by state agencies, organizations, industries, or anywhere else in society. Although such practices might not be intentionally racist, they end up being racist nevertheless as consequence of the systematized and unspoken biases that have become increasingly convoluted and entrenched within society over time. It also doesn’t help white people to recognize these discriminatory practices considering they have been unconsciously tailored to be consistent with white perspective and mentality. In her article, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, Peggy McIntosh examines not only how white folks often consider themselves to be a normative figure within society, but also how they are carefully taught not to recognize the advantages they gain from the disadvantages that impair people of color. In the article, McIntosh acknowledges the reality of her own white privilege and expresses, “In my class and place, I did not see myself as a racist because I was taught to recognize racism only in individual acts of meanness by members of my group, never in invisible systems conferring unsought racial dominance on my group from birth” (McIntosh 4). In fact, even if white folks do not believe themselves to

This purpose of this paper is to synthesize this writer 's three key revelations from this semester which are, (1) white privilege, (2) curriculum corruption and inadequate United States history education in K-12 public schools, and (3) United States legislation which disadvantages the minor races as a means for the dominate race to maintain power and control. Thus, this exploration organizes each area of significant course discovery, which a hybrid of class sources and readings relating to each area of learning supports. Additionally, this synthesis includes a summary of this writer 's social location as well as the course material’s impact on the understanding and interpretation of these themes. Finally, this paper ends with a conclusion and presents final thoughts about the concepts we 've discussed in the Sociology 321 - Race and Ethnicity course throughout the spring 2016 semester.

According to Peggy McIntosh, an American feminist and anti-racism activist, whites are convinced that they carry an “invisible knapsack”, which allow them several privileges that African American or other ethnicities don’t have. In her article “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” McIntosh describe a long list of white privileges such as, ”When I go shopping, store detectives don’t follow me” and “…people of my race are positively presented on television or papers”. They believe that the fact of being whites automatically makes them less suspicious of wrongdoing (McIntosh, 152). The American philosopher John Berteaux, a specialist in social ethics and philosophy of race agree with McIntosh about the wrong believe that whites have about some privileges embedded in the race, “Most white people don’t question their race or it’s privileges; they simple take them for granted” (Rosenstand, 373). In other words, whites believe that the skin color is what makes a race better that the other, giving some people more rights that to the others.

influential female authors Both women had a point to prove about racial identity as they both

Many white Americans are living with the fear that they didn't really deserve their success, and that maybe luck and privilege had more to do with it, than brains and hard work. There are numerous reasons for the widespread discrimination at all levels, but the main reason for the existence of discrimination is a privilege to certain groups of people, and widespread social prejudice towards certain groups of people. Differences between people have always existed, but they gain in importance only when are different importance given to certain differences, so it creates privileges. People who are privileged in one society are often not aware of their privilege. It is very easy to be oblivious to the privilege. The problem of discrimination

What is privilege? What does it mean? Is privilege inherited or is it earned? As an American resident of color I’ve learned that privilege in this country is something that is innate and inherited. The privilege that I speak of is that of White privilege.

In the book, the essay written by Peggy McIntosh in 1988, describes the white privilege just as the expression of choices and personal decisions. Then, she makes that racism appear as the development of the behavior or lifestyle that each individual carry. This student thinks that she refers more to the individual rights that people have when defining white privilege. She cites that the privilege is granted to the whites, but she does not say who grants them, or how this privilege is granted. Besides, she refers to white privilege as a system when she says “Disapproving of the systems won’t be enough to change them” (Harvey,2009).

In the excerpt of Peggy McIntosh, she talks about how white people are privileged. She says that women’s disadvantages are men’s advantages. She explains that by her being a white person, she was taught about racism as something that puts other people at a disadvantage. McIntosh also says that white people are taught not to recognize white privilege like in the same way men are taught not to recognize male privilege. In the excerpt, she describes white privilege as a knapsack, where it’s invisible and weightless.

Racism, in particular to the African American, can be traced back farther than the days when slavery thrived. After the slaves were freed and the phrase “All men are created equal” was not applied to the African American race. Women continued to experience this even after their gender counterparts received semi equal rights. Jael Silliman, chronicled this struggle in her novel Undivided Rights: Women of Color Organize for Reproductive Justice”. The book opens up with the quote “We’re sick and tired of being sick and tired”(Silliman 1). This quote rings true, even to this day African American women continue to use this quote. These words however, were said by Fannie Lou Hamer as she presented at a gathering of over 1500 African American women. This gathering of thousands of African American women spoke about the inequalities African Americans

Dr. Peggy McIntosh makes a clear distinction between racism and white privilege. Personally, I have seen and been affected by white privilege more than by racism. I have always been more affected by the advantages given to whites than the disadvantages given to others. In school I was always identified as an equal with my white friends, but there were scenarios where I had to work harder to succeed. It was always difficult communicating my ideas to a predominantly white society. As a Hindu, I always found it appalling when events at my school were cancelled due to pushback from white Christian parents. As soon as a white parent would argue for something, administration would immediately accommodate in any way necessary. When minorities, such