Passing: A Beneficiary Of White Privilege

There are many issues with varying amount of prevalence that need to be discussed in our world currently. Privilege is one of those issues. Jeremy Dowsett opens discussion on white privilege with his essay What My Bike Has Taught Me about White Privilege in which he speaks being a cyclist trying to navigate the road and stay safe. Jeremy Dowsett uses an extended analogy on the implications of living as a person of color in an infrastructure designed to benefit white people.

In the essay, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Peggy McIntosh, the author questions and discusses white privilege and how it is an invisible package of earned assets. She also talks about how white privilege affects her daily life and compares it to forms of oppression.

As both Americans and people, our rights are limited and regulated by those in command. The enforcement of these regulations of just treatment is, unfortunately, more severe or less severe depending on race, gender, and wealth. Since the beginning of the United States, the oppression of people of color was present to the strongest extent. White, Europeans arrived in the Americas and looked at the people of color as beings brought to serve them. We forced them to work and when the Native people died out, the Europeans brought in African Americans as their new slaves in the 1700s. Since then, even though they fought to abolish slavery and for their rights, our country continues to treat them differently. This was the case of Henrietta Lacks,

Shannon Sullivan reveals what white privilege looks like from someone who deals with it on a daily basis, a white woman. Sullivan discusses how white privilege in this day and age can be an invisible and sometimes unquestioned norm in our lives in America. Sullivan speaks up about her own race and the ways it has affected her life. The book discusses the delicate effects white supremacy has had on America. Sullivan also prompts white people to start standing up to the podium and discussing the issues they see when it comes to race. In Sullivan’s writing, she states how white privilege is not discussed much amongst white people and that she wants them to own up to their privilege and to go against the norms of their environments that allow these activities to happen.

Along with racism’s effect on the economic status of communities, it also impacts African Americans in other aspects of the financial realm. As Peggy McIntosh explains in her essay, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack,” she, as a white person, “can count on [her] skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability” (McIntosh). Thus, institutionalized racism still makes it more difficult for Blacks to become financially stable compared to whites. According the Pew Research Center, the net worth of a white person was 13 times greater than that of a Black person in 2013, even though slavery had been abolished nearby 150 years prior (Fry, Kochlar). Likewise, in 1970 about 4 percent of whites and 62 percent of Blacks

“White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack” by Peggy McIntosh is about the dominant white race having societal advantages over the minority race. White privileges are known for having favorable advancements to white people and particularly men in that category. For those who receive benefits due to their origins of the white race refuse to acknowledge the power they have over the minority race. Instead, whites see all races having the same opportunity to become successful. Due to their obliviousness individuals categorized in the dominant race does not intentionally allow racism to play a role in their society. Peggy discusses her own life experiences to show instances where she herself has been oblivious to this unearned

We live in a society that is very unequal, in a way that people get treated differently depending on their social class, race or gender. Social inequality means the situation in which individual groups in a society do not have equal social status, social class or social circle. Clear boundaries in society are made that prevents

Peggy McIntosh’s piece “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” describes the privileges white people gets without realizing their advantage over others. Peggy talks about racism being a part of everyday life even though we ignore it. Her main idea was to inform the readers that whites are taught to ignore the fact that they enjoy social privileges that people of color do not because we live in a society of white dominance. Her examples include privileges relating to education, careers, entertainment, child care, confrontations, physical appearance, and public life. One of the examples that really made me think was the “flesh colored” Band-Aid example. Band-Aids are

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

White privilege is not taught to whites as the disadvantages are taught to the minority by the white race from birth. When a white person walks into a store they are looked upon with respect and it is assumed that they are not there to steal or vandalize property, they are automatically trusted as a quality citizen. The white race is unaware of their privilege because they have never had to experience the glares, or being followed around the store, automatically assuming they are there to steal or harm someone. White=good in every aspect of society because it is the norm, it is an unconscious advantage that is used in the conscious mind of all whites. These cultural mechanisms lead white people to be seen as trustworthy, honest, overall decent

White Privilege is the societal privilege that benefits people whom society identifies as white in some countries, beyond what is commonly experienced by non-white people under the same social, political, or economic circumstances.

White privilege has decreased over the past couple years due to further understanding of racial differences. However, I believe it does still exist within our society. Many times it goes unnoticed by whites because they have the upper hand in the situation. One privilege I have noticed I have as a white member of society is credibility in educational situations.

Reacted with amazement how the two participants in the experiment with the same background such as education, career choice as leadership counsel, attended the same college, came from middle-class family, played on the same softball team were treated differently in the society based on their race. Surprised how race plays a major role every day in our lives. Somehow I believe it was because of our class status but never took in consideration race.

It’s important to acknowledge the historical context when understanding oppression because oppression always has its roots somewhere; no one is oppressed just because. Marginalization of minority groups in the past, and even today, has a purpose—not necessarily a good purpose, though. The purpose was usually for power; majority groups wanted to be the standard for good, resulting in the dehumanization of minority groups. Therefore, to understand fully why the oppression still stands today, it’s important to look back on how it started. That way, we can see why it still persists in our society; is its original purpose still being pursued but in a less physical way like in the past? And, is it still affecting the same people today, even to a

In a "me" driven society we often don't take the time, to look at life through a different lens other than what you may personally experience on a daily basis. In striving for a more perfect society we must be able to do just that, try to see life from other people's perspectives, to try to envision what life might be like for people who face an onslaught of racism, sexism, all the isms you can think of. in a societal construct in, which is designed for a few. People with disabilities are constantly being discriminated upon even though there a law in place, in attempts to bring equality for all.