A very good Soror-Friend and I took my daughter to a toddler park in a upper middle-class area of Washington, DC this past weekend. From our standpoint, the kids were kind of mean and didn’t wish to play with my daughter. Additionally, they’d push her or aggressively push her hand away if she attempted to play with them. The parents witnessed their older children mistreat my 17 month old without saying one word in her defense. I rescued my child from each situation (it happened at least 5 times), however, no conversation with the “quiet” watching parent ensued. Later, I realized it was because I didn't want to be viewed as the “angry black woman” at the predominately white park. So, instead I diverted my daughter's attention to other things or I played in the sandbox with her. This situation brought me and my Soror-Friend back to an article that she'd sent me a few years ago entitled, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible knapsack.”A quick summary of the article:
The author, a white female, came to the realization that racism is more a system versus an act(s) of meanness. She realized that most white people don’t realize that this “system” is in place, therefore their oppressiveness is unconscious. She calls this idea “white privilege.” She feels that this white privilege is basically a bunch of assumptions that were passed on to her as a white person. She states that as her racial group was being made confident, comfortable, and oblivious, other groups (ie. black/brown people) were likely being made unconfident, uncomfortable, and alienated. She began to count the ways in which she enjoyed unearned skin privilege as a white person.
She lists over 40 items. I’ve chosen a few that I think scream at the experiences that I’ve had. (These are written from the point of view of Peggy who is not a person of color.)
Daily Effects of White Privilege:
1. I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a "credit" to my race
2. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
3. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.
4. When I am told about our national heritage or about "civilization," I am shown that white people made it what it is.
5. I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.
6. I can be pretty sure of having my voice heard in a group in which I am the only member of my race.
8. I can swear, or dress in second hand clothes, or talk with my mouth full, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty or the illiteracy of my race.
9. If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven't been singled out because of my race.
10. I can go home from most meetings of organizations I belong to feeling somewhat tied in, rather than isolated, out-of-place, outnumbered, unheard, held at a distance or feared.
I loved this article. I always hear the term “institution of racism,” however, I don’t think I ever realized the concept of white privilege and how it has an immediate adverse impact to my life as a person of color. I swear #1 , #10, and #6 really hit home for me
So, after reading this blog and/or the article. Do you agree with this? If you’re a person of color, does this open your eyes to a white privilege that you were also “taught” not to recognize? Do you have any to add to this list that were on Peggy’s list and I chose not to highlight in this blog or do you have any that even Peggy may have missed? Did any of these hit home for you?
