I debated whether or not to include this in My Life After Patrick. On social media and in my blog, I avoid politics. I know political issues are important but there has been so much negativity and I couldn’t handle being part of that. However, I have begun to realize that part of my new life is what I am learning in my studies. This knowledge is having a profound impact on me and changing me in ways I never expected. So, this post will be a little different.
As a caucasian living in Clovis, CA, White Privilege is the kind of term that made me uncomfortable. Mainly because I did not understand it. I got annoyed with the term “Black Lives Matter” and preferred “All Lives Matter”. I liked to say that I have friends and family members from different races and I am color blind. All of these statements may be considered offensive because they brush off the experiences of other races. As part of a recent Social & Cultural Diversity course, I found this article by Peggy McIntosh.
In the article, McIntosh explains that she has “come to see white privilege as an individual package of unearned assets that I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was “meant” to remain oblivious” (1989). I encourage you to read the entire article. I found that the article explained things in a way that I had not previously considered. McIntosh came up with a list of 26 examples of white privilege. They are all eye opening but the very last one had the biggest impact. “I can choose blemish color or bandages in “flesh” color and have them more or less match the color of my skin” (McIntosh, 1989). Why had this never occurred to me? What about nude colored nylons? Do those match everyone’s skin tone?
I know that bandages, make-up and nylons are not really problems we are facing today but the visual was a great example to me.
So, I concede that I have certain privileges that aren’t available to everyone. I can’t presume to understand what it is like to go through life without these privileges. I always thought that success was achieved through hard work alone but I am now beginning to realize that the playing field is not level. I have enjoyed opportunities simply because I am white. I didn’t create these privileges and having them doesn’t make me racist, but we all need to acknowledge that they exist and work to do something about them. So far, I haven’t heard any clear cut solutions for bringing this country together, and I don’t have any to offer. Leveling the playing field is not going to happen overnight. We need to acknowledge and respect our differences. We need to recognize injustice. We need to open our minds and our hearts.
This is a very small contribution to all of the dialogue that is going on. This one small message got through to me so it was important to me to share with others.