Hey kids, it's a white privilege checklist!

[kpete]

Hey kids, it's a white privilege checklist!
an oldie but a goodie: Peggy McIntosh's Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
http://www.amptoons.com/blog/files/mcintosh.html



The following are examples of ways white individuals have privilege because they are white. Please read the list and place a check next to the privileges that apply to you or that you have encountered. At the end, try to list at least two more ways you have privilege based on your race.

_ 1. I can arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.
_ 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 people of my color 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 go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the food I grew up with, into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can deal with my hair.
_ 7. Whether I use checks, credit cards, or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial responsibility.
_ 8. I am not made acutely aware that my shape, bearing, or body odor will be taken as a reflection on my race.
_ 9. I can worry about racism without being seen as self-interested or self-seeking.
_ 10. I can take a job or enroll in a college with an affirmative action policy without having my co-workers or peers assume I got it because of my race.
_ 11. I can be late to a meeting without having the lateness reflect on my race.
_ 12. I can choose public accommodation with out fearing that people of my race cannot get in or will be mistreated.
_ 13. I am never asked to speak for all of the people of my racial group.
_ 14. I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk with the "person in charge" I will be facing a person of my race.
_ 15. 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.
_ 16. I can easily by posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children’s magazines featuring people of my race.
_ 17. I can choose blemish cover or bandages in “flesh” color and have them more or less match my skin.
_ 18. I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race.
_ 19. I can walk into a classroom and know I will not be the only member of my race.
_ 20. I can enroll in a class at college and be sure that the majority of my professors will be of my race.

Sound familiar? Think about this and remember it the next time you're about to tell a person of color that "it's not about race" and "you're being too sensitive," or that, God help us, they're "racist against white people." Whatever problems white people may face due to their skin color just don't begin to compare. And the sooner we realize that, the more effectively we can begin work to minimize our own participation in institutional racism.

more:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/12/13/928575/-Hey-kids,-its-a-white-privilege-checklist!

[hfojvt]

1. and don't forget the biggest one of all

we get to dream of a WHITE Christmas. :P :eyes:

[tavalon]

3. That isn't any advantage

To a nurse working back to back 12 hour shifts on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

[snooper2]

99. Hell yeah it is...time n-half or double time?

extra pay for working on a "special" day hijacked by Xtians hundreds and hundreds of years ago...

Which in reality, is just another day of the year, like September 5th, or January 23, etc,.

[Motown_Johnny]

5. if you mean finding the doll your child wants in his/her race

I'll agree


(this also includes "action figures" but I am trying to avoid the whole gender role thing)

[hfojvt]

6. of course you will

It's not like my little brother had a black GI Joe in 1972.

Wait, was that the one he broke? No, I think he broke the one with the reddish beard. One of the funnier things I have seen. Did you know that when the head comes off of a GI Joe that the arms and legs do too? (it was a horrible accident)

[Motown_Johnny]

70. sure, I see asian and middle eastern barbie dolls in the stores all the time

:sarcasm:

[Norrin Radd]

93. Mattel's current Black Label Basic line of

Barbie dolls has dolls in an array of skin colors. Granted, Barbie dolls are highly stylized and are far from realistic, but this is a step in a good direction.

Black Label Basic Asian doll:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3872830

[Raschel]

12. But Santa was born in Turkey. They insist he was a Greek, but it doesn't add up.

[yawnmaster]

17. what color are Turks? eom

[RZM]

26. Anatolia was a Greek space for a very long time

Long before the Central Asian Turks showed up in the middle ages. Even after, millions of Greek Christians remained. That era ended during the Greco-Turkish War in the early 1920s, when most Anatolian Greeks were expelled from their homes and sent packing -- a process that the West endorsed in 1924 in the Lausanne Treaty -- after most of the expulsions had already taken place. It should be noted that the Anatolian Greeks weren't the only victims, since hundreds of thousands of Muslims were expelled from Greece in the same deal and one of the reasons it all happened in the first place was that the Greek Army was pretty rough with Turkish Muslims when they advanced and later retreated through Anatolia during the war.

Here's some books about it:

http://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Aegean-Appraisal-Compulsory-Population/dp/1571815627/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292266003&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Fires-Hatred-Ethnic-Cleansing-Twentieth-Century/dp/0674009940/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292266026&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Not-Even-My-Name-Story/dp/0312277016/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292266100&sr=1-1

The last is a memoir of a Greek woman who left during the war and ended up America and years later went back.

[badgerpup]

33. Remember the bit...

In My Big Fat Greek Wedding where Grandma is furious at Papa Nick and calls him a Turk? :wow:

HUGE insult there...them's fightin' words. :hide::yoiks:

[RZM]

38. Never saw it, actually

Though the line doesn't surprise me. With such a young history, we Americans often fail to realize that old beefs die hard and carry through from generation to generation.

[Scruffy1]

25. Yeah-just got 20 inches of it.

[Erose999]

125. Don't forget White Jesus. Who is somehow blonde haired and blue eyed despite being born Jewish.

That just means God is white because when he impregnates Jewish virgins they have Aryan babies.

:sarcasm:

[tavalon]

2. I only get some of those

Yeah, I'm white, but I'm a woman. Gender bias is still rampant. And I have to be careful at night, as told to me by the Seattle Times yesterday. I'm just a girl, little 'ol me (Gwen Stefani).

[CrispyQ]

51. I'm white, too, & yes, #2 is definitely more true for white men than white women,

although, I suspect that minority women get harassed more than white women.

Interestingly, of all the times I have been harassed by men, it has almost always been by white men. Which makes me wonder - which race of men harasses minority women more? My guess . . . white men. There is a cultural superiority that many white men have in this country. "We're at the top of the hierarchy, so we can do what we want." I think this attitude is prevalent in our society.

If anyone has articles/studies on this, I would be interested in reading them.

[jtown1123]

4. It's the White Knapsack. This is a great reminder. So many well intentioned folks are oblivious to

white privilege. I didn't read this essay until college. What an eye opener.

[hfojvt]

9. heck, I didn't read it until DU

some 20 years after college. What an eye opener as to how far some people will reach to whine about non-existent privileges. I think I said the same thing to my poster of DR. J and my Cosby records.

[Drale]

7. Actually I have found that the number 20 isn't necessarily true

it really depends on your major and or the classes your a currently taking.

[Raschel]

14. All of the generals that I took had White teachers except for one.

[Drale]

18. I've had several who where not white

including a communications teacher who had a strong indian accent, who was very hard to understand.

[Raschel]

48. Well I didn't so your statement that #20 is not necessarily true fails. That's just YOUR experience.

[jtrockville]

19. Wish we could put more than one on the "arguably not true" list

[RZM]

8. I've seen this list before

Some points expose interesting phenomena and real problems. Others are utter nonsense and downright bizarre. It has its merits, but also some rather strange assertions.

[jtown1123]

22. Which ones do you find strange?

[RZM]

29. My issue is this

Many of these apply equally to groups other than whites

1 - Most people have no trouble associating with their own race. Families, homes, and neighborhoods are quite often fairly monochromatic.
3 - This doesn't apply to everybody, but there are plenty of depictions of diversity in tv and the news
4 - Diversity is a big thing in schools. When I was in elementary school we learned plenty about the West African heritage of African-Americans
6 - Different races are widely represented in music stores. The hair thing is particularly bizarre. Is there a dearth of beauty/barber shops catering to specific groups?
10 - Of course white people can do this. Affirmative Action doesn't apply to them. If somebody receives a position because of an affirmative action policy, why wouldn't there be an assumption that the policy is being used for its intended purpose? Isn't that what it's there for? I guess the beef is that people will assume that's whey they are there, but if the policy is in force, that is sometimes the case.
15 - Whites get pulled over in African-American neighborhoods all the time. The cops often assume you are there to buy/sell drugs. I'm not saying that's a good thing, but it happens.
19 - Whites are still a majority in this country. There are more of them than anyone else -- of course they will be more represented in classrooms than other groups
20 - Is being taught by someone of your own race a right? Why should race be a factor in who teaches what? Who cares as long as they are qualified.

[Fire1]

45. Look up the data from the bureau of statistics. You will find

the white majority is rapidly shrinking.

[RZM]

46. Yes I know

That's not news. Nor will the day it goes from 50.0 to 49.9 percent be especially noteworthy. But it's still high and that was my point.

[bliss_eternal]

119. please, consider this...

...in any classroom, in any state, at any given time--students are forced to learn the caucasian history of this country, this (of course) includes, all the minority children. american indians (who were here first, pre-columbus) are lucky if they get a chapter in most history books. civil rights also--maybe a chapter.

unless a student decides to go to college, more often than not, he/she won't learn about any culture other than "white culture."

minority students HAVE TO learn about non-ethnic people (i.e. caucasians), no matter what. it is incredibly rare that non-ethnic students HAVE TO learn anything about ethnic people.

a college requirement (for some universities) is taking a language course, or cultural diversity course.

your priviledge affords you not having to understand any of the points you listed, from the perspective of someone that is non-caucasian. your post seems to suggest you do not (understand), and you don't seem open to how or why those points, are indicative of priviledge.

[Duncan Grant]

10. KnR

:kick:

[Bunny]

11. I love these threads.

It's always amusing when this list gets posted, (and even more so with the male privilege one), because there's always a group of white folk or men folk who insist that these do not apply to them and therefore they don't exist. And the folks who are so adamant about it are the ones who are least able to see it.

[RZM]

16. One problem with this list . . .

Many points apply equally to groups other than whites. Plenty of different groups have no trouble spending time with one another or finding hair salons that cater to their needs, etc. How significant is it that whites can do some of these things if plenty of other groups can as well?

[Number23]

86. Your sig pic is the cutest thing I've seen today. Does it mean something in particular?

[Raschel]

13. If you're a teen male you can run down the block w/o people thinking you just did

something wrong.

[Raschel]

15. You can take your little boy to see santa and he'll give him a hug and treat him like an

innocent little child instead of high-fiving him and treating him like he's a streetwise teen.

[Nye Bevan]

68. If it makes you feel better, I am white and Santa high-fived my son, too.

Sometimes a high-five is just a high-five. Try not to fall into the habit of scrutinizing every single situation you are ever in for possible racism.

[butterfly77]

20. How about...

most of the time everything that represents BLACK is bad or evil: being BLACKballed,being BLACKmailed or angel food cake and devil food cake there are others..

[RZM]

30. That goes far deeper than race in America

I'm sure it traces back to the earliest days of our species and even before. We have shitty night vision -- alot of people are scared of the dark, even as adults, presumably for evolutionary reasons since we're at a disadvantage in the dark.

No doubt there's scholarship dealing with the relationships between colors, evolution, and culture.

[Gaedel]

67. If your origin was a place near the Arctic Circle with long winter nights

White (light) being positive and black (dark) being negative came naturally, long before your culture ever encountered a human being with a black skin.

[laugle]

81. How about

'when your in the black' your in the money...............how about 'blackjack' you win; how about 'black beauty' the thoroughbred winner; and you could go on and on...........

My mother use to say; "if you look for ugliness--you will find it!" Change your thoughts and you change your life..............

[ZombieHorde]

21. Although races don't exist, most of those apply to me if the word "race" is replaced with

the phrase "skin color."

[Nye Bevan]

23. Why is "arranging to be in the company of my race most of the time" a "privilege"?

I really don't give a shit about the races of people I am "in the company" of.

Seems to me that the make of this list revealed some subconscious racism of his own in the process.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

31. Glad I'm not the only one who saw that

Number one sounds like a sour grape complaint about "wanting to be with your own". What's up with that?

[RZM]

39. People often prefer to be with their own

It's not a white thing at all. People do that all over the world.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

40. Well, the implication is.....

....you can't "arrange" to be with your own....too many white folks around. Which is bullshit too. Because either the author is admitting this is essentially a white majority in number country which makes it near impossible to expect things to be different, or they are just full of shit (which I think they are).

It's still founded on a racist implication. I've never thrown a party or arranged a dinner get together by saying "Only whites for this one".

[RZM]

43. People arrange to be with their own every damn day

All over the world. It's really an odd thing to argue that it represents 'white privilege' and I'm puzzled that anybody would buy into it.

[HEyHEY]

76. niether have I *puts finger to nose and winks*

Just kidding. But yeah, if I were to say, "Sorry Wang, I'm only gonna hang out with my white friends tonight, we'd invite you to come...but....you know" I'd be accused of racism.

[jtown1123]

108. Seriously people? The expectation of being around people who understand

what you're going through and who share the same ethnic background is not racist...especially coming from groups who are marginalized and not the "dominant" culture. A lot of these responses shock me. Clearly, white privilege is so prevalent people fail to recognize it in their own responses.

[bliss_eternal]

117. why would they recognize it...?

...priviledge provides that they don't have to, if they don't choose to. not placing yourself in the position of "the other" even hypothetically, shows inherent priviledge, insensitivity and an inherent lack of desire to relate to anyone who isn't, like themselves (racially, sexually, etc.).

i frequently see the same thing in threads on women's issues and in glbt threads. :(

thanks for attempting to call it out, as you see it. :thumbsup:

[Nye Bevan]

24. 21. I can watch the President on TV and he is the same race as me.

Oops, scratch that one....

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

32. Well, actually, that's true....

....and false at the same time. So it's all good.

[jillan]

27. I have a serious issue with #17! I purchased some band aids at Walgreens, and could not

figure out why the band aid was completely clear with the exception of a black square that covered the gauze part. After using a couple of these bandaids my curiosity got the best of me.

So I looked at the box & it said bandaids to match your skin color. Guess I should've read the box before I bought the bandaids.
:P No problems, a bandaid is a bandaid.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Matariki]

64. It's not an either/or thing. Really, "whine list"? Shame on you.

[darkstar3]

66. What would you call item #1,

if not a whine? A gripe?

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

34. They don't sell music of "other" races in stores anymore?

Really?

Hell, try finding a record store, period, nowadays anyway.

[cleanhippie]

35. .

[cleanhippie]

36. .

[cleanhippie]

37. This could easily be a CHRISTIAN privilege checklist too!

Maybe there is a correlation between white and christian privilege? I think there just may be...

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

41. How so?

As an agnostic, I've never been asked my religion at the door to a shop so they could follow me around, nor was I asked at a job interview or in school.......

[cleanhippie]

47. You dont think that for most of those items, one could easily replace "white" privilege with

"christian privilege? I certainly can. Most of those items, with just a few exceptions qualify.

1. I can arrange to be in the company of people of my christian religion most of the time.
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 christian religion widely represented.
4. When I am told about our national heritage or about "civilization," I am shown that people of my christian religion 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 christian religion.
6. I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the food I grew up with, into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can deal with my hair.
7. Whether I use checks, credit cards, or cash, I can count on my christian religion not to work against the appearance of financial responsibility.
8. I am not made acutely aware that my shape, bearing, or body odor will be taken as a reflection on my christian religion.
9. I can worry about the oppression ofchristian religion without being seen as self-interested or self-seeking.
10. I can take a job or enroll in a college with an affirmative action policy without having my co-workers or peers assume I got it because of my race. Although, NOT being a christian CAN keep you from getting a job...
11. I can be late to a meeting without having the lateness reflect on my christian religion.
12. I can choose public accommodation with out fearing that people of my christian religion cannot get in or will be mistreated.
13. I am never asked to speak for all of the people of my christian religion.
14. I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk with the "person in charge" I will be facing a person of my christian religion.
15. 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 christian religion.
16. I can easily by posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children’s magazines featuring people of my christian religion.
17. I can choose blemish cover or bandages in “flesh” color and have them more or less match my skin.
18. I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my christian religion.
19. I can walk into a classroom and know I will not be the only member of my christian religion.
20. I can enroll in a class at college and be sure that the majority of my professors will be of my christian religion. Maybe. not so much on this one...

[superduperfarleft]

50. There is a correlation between ALL forms of privilege.

And a just society is one founded upon protecting the rights of the minority against the will of the majority.

[cleanhippie]

52. So you agree with my point then?

[superduperfarleft]

53. Peggy McIntosh was one of the first to write a list like this, that's why.

It's reposted as sort of a Cliff Notes for the people who reject the concept of privilege. I've seen all kinds of variations done, as well, including one for Christians.

So I guess we agree. And your response would be a great motivation for posting, to get people to think about how they inadvertently benefit from institutional privilege.

[cleanhippie]

55. Thanks. And on your last point, we totally agree.

:toast:

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

62. No, not really

Again, unlike race, how do you know who's a Christian and who's not? I'm allowed to be late because someone thinks I'm a Christian? Really. Cool, send a memo to my boss.

Just like the original list, most of this sounds like an irritation about the fact that the majority of people in this country have some sort of upbringing in a quasi-Christian household. Still, I find it prejudice to assume such things.

[cleanhippie]

85. Ever been in a large group setting...

and someone says "Can we pray?" or "We should thank god/jesus" or "May I say a few words." Most of the time, no one will object (for various reasons) and that prayer will be a CHRISTIAN prayer, every time. Yes, it's THAT prevalent. Yes, it's THAT expected. Yes, it's THAT assured that no one will object and that the majority will agree. One does not NEED to know who is a christian, its ASSUMED that nearly everyone is.

So yes, it IS a privilege: Christian privilege, and it's everywhere.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

98. No

Sorry, never happened to me. Except at a family religious holiday dinner, like Easter and Christmas, where one should expect it.

I don't know where you're hanging out. But if someone started reciting a Jewish or Muslim prayer, would that person get shouted down? Doubt it. Most people who come out of left field with prayer requests are scorned as bible thumpers and Jesus freaks, at least where I come from. It's really not accepted if you think about it.

[cleanhippie]

100. Then you need to get out more, I guess.

Because it IS really accepted.
But hey, maybe we just see and experience things a bit differently, so no worries.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

101. I just see people who use terms like "I was saved".....

...or start quoting the bible etc, frequently in polite conversation get eye rolls and WTF looks between others. Doesn't seem like acceptance to me. But if someone of another religion did that and someone rolled their eyes at it, would you call someone out for being disrespectful to a minority? You probably would, heck I probably would.....

But you must live in a very religious area, because up here we keep religion to ourselves.

[cleanhippie]

104. No, I would not.

Rolling your eyes or guffawing at someone for expressing their religion, regardless of what religion it is, is perfectly acceptable (I even encourage it) and is in no way "disrespecting a minority". Religion deserves no more respect than anything else, it is not special.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

105. Oh, even if they were Hindu or Muslim?

Hmm.....that seems to go against what I thought you were originally upset about, hence your post. Unless you were saying only atheist and agnostics are missing out on these privlidges......??? Why then single out Christians and not religion in general?

[cleanhippie]

106. Of course.

I find ALL religions to be equally silly and worthy of mockery.

And I originally stated that I thought there just might be a correlation between white and christian privilege. Christianity enjoys most of the same types of privilege as described in the OP concerning white privilege. I thought my point was pretty clear...

[superduperfarleft]

49. .

almost had a triple post. Damn bugs.

[Union Scribe]

61. Cops can tell if they're pulling over a christian?

I suppose mall security can tell too?

[cleanhippie]

87. Did I say that?

No, I did not. But here is what I did say.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=213&mesg_id=260

[Union Scribe]

90. Yes, you pretty much did.

If you wanted to write a different list of priveleges, go for it. But you decided that this one was able to be juxtaposed over religion, which has some problems as I pointed out.

[cleanhippie]

97. No, I explicitly did not.

You stated that I said "Cops can tell if they are pulling over a christian?" And what I actually said was

15. 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 christian religion.


There is a clear and distinct difference between what you THINK I said and what I actually posted.

[Union Scribe]

112. You say to-mat-o, but whatever.

Saying a cop or an IRS agent can know one way or another about personal beliefs they can't see is simply not the same as racial profiling or privelege. It's just not. You can have the last word.

[bobbolink]

42. Change "Race" to "Class" and even if white, you can still forget many of those things... especially

if you are homeless.

But, talking about class issues is so.....declasse', is it not?

[superduperfarleft]

44. Completely untrue.

Even the richest black man is going to face certain kinds of prejudice, whether overt or otherwise, that a white man is never going to face. And poor white people still have more opportunity (not that that's saying much) than poor people of color.

[jtown1123]

111. Yes, thank you. A voice of reason on this insane thread.

[pipi_k]

54. I found that quite a few of them could be changed

in terms of gender and perceived social class.

I've even been treated differently by people according to my hair color.

[Liquorice]

56. A lot of these are because America is 80% white. It's simple demographics. nt

[Cid_B]

74. Ssssh....

Better to have outrage than learn about statistics...

[bliss_eternal]

121. sooooo....

...that makes it ok? based on a statistic that is changing, daily?

[Liquorice]

122. When you are the minority in a given country, any country, you can expect

things like seeing the majority race more often than your own in the media, etc. If I moved to a country that was 80% black, I wouldn't expect to see a lot of white people in the newspapers and teaching in the colleges. I don't think that's racist, or wrong; it's just obviously true. Asians in America hardly ever see people of their race in our media nor do they have a large selection of Asian dolls, etc., because they are so small in number here. But if I moved to China or Japan, all I would see would be Asians, and that wouldn't be insulting or racist to me.

[bliss_eternal]

124. perhaps...

...but your comments seem to ignore the op's intent, which is a discussion of priviledge.

[walldude]

57. K&R..

[JackBeck]

58. A more accurate way to describe this list would be to add the word "unearned" before privilege.

One of the trainings I co-facilitate for non-medical service providers is called Building Bridges to Cultural Competency.

One of the exercises we help the participants process is one where we talk about unearned, invisible privilege. We put 5 pieces of newsprint around the room where they get to list, by using "I statements" (like in the OP,) ways in which these groups have unearned privilege: White, Male, Heterosexual, Non-Transgender, and Able-Bodied.

For the most part, the exercise can be eyeopening if you have been paying attention to the training up until this point. Only once did a participant completely loose his shit when it came to this exercise. Apparently, to this white, heterosexual man, Bill Cosby's success absolves of the past historical underpinnings when it comes to power and privilege.

[bliss_eternal]

118. lol...

...on the guy losing his shit. i've seen similar reactions, in reference to oprah--as if all aa's have overcome, because of oprah's wealth and success. :eyes:

sounds like a great training you work with. :thumbsup:

[Pavulon]

59. Hmm, disagree.

1. I can arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.
AA have this right. No anti black congregation laws here...
_ 2. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
Retail understands AA makes up a large portion of customers.
_ 3. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.
Obama, holder, continue list...
_ 4. When I am told about our national heritage or about "civilization," I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.
AA contributed to all major wars in the last 60 years.
_ 5. I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.
Never seen materials that say there are no blacks, may have missed the point here.
_ 6. I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the food I grew up with, into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can deal with my hair.

I live in a mid sized city and there are a large number of options for people of all races, including Indians to find food they grew up with.

_ 7. Whether I use checks, credit cards, or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial responsibility.

Federal law.

_ 8. I am not made acutely aware that my shape, bearing, or body odor will be taken as a reflection on my race.

Everyone is stereotyped, blacks, whites, jews. Its stupid, but how humans work.

_ 9. I can worry about racism without being seen as self-interested or self-seeking.

Lots of people worry about racisim. I do, because it negatively impacts the cultural bottom line if people are not given equal opportunity in all respects.

_ 10. I can take a job or enroll in a college with an affirmative action policy without having my co-workers or peers assume I got it because of my race.

So can a person of any race, where those laws do not exist.

_ 11. I can be late to a meeting without having the lateness reflect on my race.

Being late is just rude, I tend to lock doors and phone bridges if a meeting is important.

_ 12. I can choose public accommodation with out fearing that people of my race cannot get in or will be mistreated.

That goes both ways.

_ 13. I am never asked to speak for all of the people of my racial group.

I never hear a person from the south on the national news who did not fall out of a trailer park. There are people here who can speak english..

_ 14. I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk with the "person in charge" I will be facing a person of my race.

Unless you are the head of the Joint Chiefs or Secretary of State.

_ 15. 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.

Last three tickets I got were issued by AA officers. I was actually speeding.

_ 16. I can easily by posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children’s magazines featuring people of my race.

Guess the author has not shopped for toys recently.

_ 17. I can choose blemish cover or bandages in “flesh” color and have them more or less match my skin.

All major cosmetic companies sell products specifically for non white customers. Most have minorities selling products.

_ 18. I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race.

Or you can screw up and just be incompetent. I have never heard this term, but sure it exists. It is blatant racism. But some poster here called Atty Gen holder Obamas "house boy" this weekend. I mean you know and I know what they meant.

_ 19. I can walk into a classroom and know I will not be the only member of my race.

If it is advanced math at a Ivy Leauge school and you are not asian or indian, that is pretty much true for all of us.
_ 20. I can enroll in a class at college and be sure that the majority of my professors will be of my race.

Only if you are going to a very poor university. Not at MIT or CALTECH


I IGNORE race. It is the worst indicator of a persons intelligence, attitude, and capability. Those things are what smart people use to evaluate others.

[JackBeck]

92. It's unfortunate to see someone say that they "IGNORE race".

We should be actively engaged in embracing and learning the basics of our neighbors' cultural, ethnic and racial differences.

It's quite similar to someone who says, "I don't see color." When I hear this, I want to say to these liberals, "Really? You are looking at someone and you're telling me you are looking at a non-white person and you don't see color? Challenge yourself to see that color and let it inspire you to learn more about how that persona came from a different frame of reference."

But then again, many of us white people are just too darn busy (or complacent, or...the list is probably endless on DU) with our own lives to take a minute to learn about formative experiences that are quite different from our own. Which is probably why some of us get uncomfortable and defensive when we see a list of unearned privileges that the majority enjoys. It's also why we find it more easy to impose our white, male, heterosexual culture on those that fall outside those easy to define boxes and try to make these groups assimilate to the dominant culture, instead of taking the time to learn about the rich diversity in our country. It simplifies things for those in power and makes stereotypes all the more easier to fall back on.

[bliss_eternal]

114. one of the reasons I joined du...

...was to learn about other progressives, around the country--living different lives from my own. yes, i'm one of those weird people who adored sociology, anthropology and language classes in college. love to learn about others.

well, imagine my surprise when i routinely found members asserting assumptions about others (frequently stereotypes their one "of color" friend solidified for them...or worst, what they saw on tv, per media), even in the face of individuals attempting to educate what their reality is (or is not). few (if any) were interested. most, just seemed to want (need) to be right about their belief in stereotyping "the other"...whether a woman, glbt, person of color, religious denomination, atheist, etc. :(

your posts in this thread, just solidify the reasons why i :loveya: :hi:

[Pavulon]

60. dupe

dupe

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

63. I click on these threads just to see who turns magenta.

Phenolphthalein, man. Phenolphthalein.

[bliss_eternal]

115. lol.

:spray:

[darkstar3]

65. I understand and accept

that I have experienced certain privileges in life because of my race and my gender. I am more aware of it than most in the area, in fact.

However, while I don't take issue with your reposting of this list, I DO take issue with the comments below it. The dismissal there of the phrase "it's not about race", and the dismissal of the possibility that black people can be bigoted against whites. (Let's not get into a debate about the difference between racism and bigotry and just accept the fact that, regardless of skin-color, everyone retains the capacity to be a flaming bigot.)

Sometimes, it really isn't about race, and there's no reason to make it so. There is absolutely no reason for a black woman to say to a white coworker "I guess you wouldn't know anything about that" with regard to weaves, rap artists, gospel music, or other items traditionally considered to be a part of AA culture. There is absolutely no reason for a black person to blatantly accuse their direct supervisor of racism when their job performance is rightfully called into question.

(For the record, the manager in the above example is a dark-skinned woman of Indian decent who grew up in South Africa during Apartheid. To accuse someone who experienced that level of racism of actually being racist herself seems pretty unacceptable to me.)

It IS important for people in a place of privilege to realize what that position has given them, but we should never excuse bigotry, and we must all therefore accept that sometimes, it really isn't about race.

[HEyHEY]

69. I think white people have made amazing strides to overcome their own prejiduces

And, I think it's time for others to start doing the same. I'm not saying none of this stuff exists. But, I find racism among non-white groups is tolerated much more. No one ever seems to jump on Asians or Indian families in North America for forbidding their children to marry outside of their race, for instance.

And how about the bullshit gay people have to deal with from multiple cultures.

Just seems to me that if we're going to work on our bigoted behaviours, other should work on theirs.

[Skittles]

71. I didn't find a great selection of black dolls at the stores

I wanted them for the Toys for Tots drive.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

72. I'm white and I have a political problem with white people where I live.

I moved to a rural area where all my friends are black because the white people all hate Obama.
When I had an Obama sign in my yard, rednecks in pickups drove by yelling "FUCK OBAMA!".


I got all Republicans representing me as state rep, state senator, U.S. Rep (Joe Barton-GAG!!), U.S. Senator (Cornhole and Breck Girl) and Governor Goodhair. None of them represent my opinions.

[toddaa]

73. The first half of #6 doesn't make sense

How is music or food race related? I'm aware of African-American cuisine, but let me ask you when the last time you walked into a supermarket and found blood pudding or potted haugh.

[HEyHEY]

75. Not only that, if I walk into any clothing store or something, they're all playing hip hop

[dana_b]

89. 20+ years ago whe this came out

they may not have been.

[Romulox]

103. AA artists were HUGE in 1988. Anita Baker, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston...

http://www.maguireonline.com/1988a.php

Run DMC, Salt n Pepa, Rob Base

http://www.amazon.com/1988-Year-Hip-Hop-Peaked/lm/MN3M3O9WHNY1

Bobby McFerrin, Tracey Chapman won grammies...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammy_Awards_of_1989

[Name removed]

116. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cid_B]

77. The local everything store here...

has an "ethnic" book section and music section....

[toddaa]

82. I don't live "here" and I'd kill for blood pudding

[Recursion]

107. As a white guy, I've noticed that one from when it's not true

I lived for several years as the only white guy in an otherwise Guatamalan and Ethiopian neighborhood. When no stores have packaging written in a language you can read, and none of the food inside that package are familiar to you, it's very disorienting. And I can only imagine how much worse it is when that's happening in your whole country, rather than just your neighborhood.

[begin_within]

78. The real issue is class, not race. Racism is just a specific expression of classism.

If you change the occurrences of "white" to "rich" and change "race" to "class" in your checklist I think it would be more accurate.

[Capitalocracy]

80. Half agree

Racism does exist on its own as well

[JackBeck]

91. Just to clarify...

Are you implying that the experience of a poor white person is similar to that that of a poor person of color?

[slackmaster]

96. It's certainly closer to the experience of a poor person of color than it is to an affluent person

Of any race.

Poor people of all colors get nickel-and-dimed to death financially at every turn. It's hard for them to find housing, employment, etc.

[JackBeck]

113. Poor people of color have even more barriers in place that have been institutionalized,

making it more difficult for them to get out of poverty.

Just one example, for instance, is how people of color have problems even just getting a job interview when using ethnic-sounding names on resumes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/weekinreview/06Luo.html?_r=1l

[Romulox]

102. Generally people who propagate lists such as these are openly HOSTILE to discussions of class

The wealthy have a huge stake in focusing all social analysis on race. Class is invisible to most Americans, which is exactly as the powers that be desire.

[Chan790]

79. In my day-to-day life...

in the communities I live and work in...working from Ms. McIntosh's full list...only #6, #7 and #8 were true for me out of the first 10.

I'm clearly the outlier for white males. :shrug:

[fishwax]

83. that list is more than 20 years old, but remains relevant

That's not to say that all of those items function in the same way now that they did in 1988, when the invisible knapsack essay was first written, of course, but most of them still resonate.

But these threads are always amusing, and for whatever reason generally inspire a ton of defensive responses.

[Number23]

88. "generally inspire a ton of defensive responses."

This thread's got about two tons already. :)

[fishwax]

94. like clockwork

Time moves faster as the years go by ;)

[jtown1123]

110. Thanks for pointing that out. I am seriously appalled at the defensive responses.

[slackmaster]

84. None of those items look like "privileges" to me.

Most of them look like the way people all deserve to be treated. If people were really evolved about race, items like 1, 14, 19, and 20 wouldn't mean anything to anyone.

I find item 3 ironic as non-white people get a lot of "representation" in the media; just not positive coverage.

N&U

:nuke:

[Spider Jerusalem]

95. I'm sorry, but this sounds like bullshit, for the most part.

The more nonsensical items addressed, point by point:

1) This depends on where one lives; also, would desiring to be in the company of members of one's own race most of the time not be racist?
2) Depends on where you live, where you shop, how old you are, how you're dressed, whether male or female, etc. Race may play a part, yes, but not the only factor.
3) Define "widely represented". Also, demographics, anyone? The population of the US is 65% non-Hispanic white, 10% white Hispanic and 13% black. This is less a function of 'white privilege' than of population numbers in terms of people who are in the news.
4) This isn't "white privilege" either, it's history. The US is a country that began as a British colony, was largely populated by European immigrants, and in which the non-white population has always been a minority (and in which black Americans were first enslaved and then subjugated with Jim Crow laws for nearly two centuries). It's not much of a surprise that US history is mostly white, but it's got fuck-all to do with "privilege".
5) School materials shouldn't be testifying to the existence of race at all, one would think. (also see #4.)
6) Hah. Hip-hop? R&B? Jazz? Blues? Go into a record shop and try to NOT find black music. Latinos, Asians and Native Americans may have a harder time, admittedly. The supermarket thing? Depends on what part of the country you're in. I could go into any supermarket in Georgia and find pork chitterlings and collard greens; I could also probably go in and find Mexican, Chinese and even kosher. This is a cultural and regional issue, but most supermarkets are going to have things that the local population want because it's just good business to do so. Don't complain because you can't find something in an area where there's no demand for it; that's NOT an example of 'white privilege' either.
7) Not just skin colour, also how you're dressed, whether you've had a haircut and a shave recently, etc. Again not solely a racial issue although more frequently one.
8) more about racism on the part of those making such judgements.
9) Unfortunately that one's true.
10) Unless you're a woman in which case they'll assume you got it because of your gender.
12) if you're choosing public accomodation, discrimination on racial grounds is against the law. Sue.
13) unless you're Jewish. In which case your gentile acquaintances will do that a lot.
14) Depends on where you are. And see above re demographics again.
18) does anyone who doesn't think it's still 1950 actually say that sort of thing anymore?
19) depends on where you live and what school you're attending? See above, again, re demographics.
20) and again, demographics (blacks are under-represented in academia relative to their numbers in the population; Asians and Jews are over-represented. This has more to do with socio-economic factors than "white privilege".)

[jtown1123]

109. I am seriously disappointed in DU. The responses to this post clearly solidify white privilege is

alive and kicking. You should really read the full post, unpacking the invisible knapsack (http://academic.udayton.edu/williamrichards/Ethics%20essays/McIntosh,%20White%20Privilege.htm). That is where this pared down list originated from. It is a very famous and eye opening piece. I read it in college in a media class that dealth with race and gender issues.

[Behind the Aegis]

120. I have read all the remarks on this thread, up to this point.

There seems to be much defensiveness on several levels. The list may not accurately "represent" African-Americans in many places of America at this point, but when this was written, it was quite true. Of course, African-American is NOT the only "race" in the US. This list could easily be applied to a number of different ethnic groups. Yes, it is true the majority of the US is white, so some things seem to be nothing more than "happenstance," but in reality, there are times other groups are marginalized or left out, whether by design or choice. There are similar lists about gays, disabled, classism issues, religion, and other "-isms" which can be exemplified.

Some take this as a "white, straight, able-bodies men are EVIL!" but it really isn't about that, or at least not in my mind, nor should it be. There are inequities in our society and they need to be addressed. BIGOTRY from ANYONE needs to be addressed. There also exist cases of people making something of nothing. Not all experiences are going to be the same in our country.

[burning rain]

123. Shame almost nothing on that list is susceptible to legislative change.

But then, this sort of stuff is the bread and butter of university liberals, who largely treat politics as a bull session, with no eye to doing anything practical. Interestingly enough, the ability to treat politics like that, rather than something that may hit you in the gut, is also an aspect of privilege...