Hey ho, it's White Guy here and today I am going to be discussing... white privilege!
isn't an easy one to have forced on you. I really had a problem being open to the idea of a problem, because for me it wasn't a problem. Here are a few of my thoughts I had hearing this phrase the first couple times...
I don't feel I am the recipient of any sort of benefit.
I believe racism, at least on the scale of say the KKK, is pretty much dead. Anything that lingers is more an unconcious bias, which while bad.... isn't that bad?
A truly sincere thought that if myself and another person were in the exact same scenario... and the only difference was the color of our skin... the results would be identical.
Actually, because of programs designed to protect from unconcious bias.... programs such as affirmative action may actually reduce my opportunities.
These thoughts were the ones that followed the bristling feeling I would get when I heard the term White Privilege.
I struggled with this, and it had to be expanded beyond my own little bubble
I was talking with my sister one night, it was really about how you dress for an interview. I was of the opinion that at least here in the Seattle area... I would feel comfortable showing up dressed well, but not necessarily business wear. She disagreed and made a comment to the effect that women haven't even been able to vote for 100 years... she wasn't going to push it.
I immediately grabbed my phone to double check this (actually I wanted to prove her wrong). 1920...... it has been 97 years. The black community I was horrified to learn was 1968... that is 4 years before I was born.
I wasn't in a situation where I was feeling hammered on and beaten down with words, I had a realization... but it needed to sneak in through a side door. The conversation... it's a good one to have, but I am wondering how we lower the barriers of resistance.
Thoughts?
