Ready... Set... Blog!: White Privilege... Thoughts on Peggy McIntosh and Others...

On Peggy McIntosh's "White Privilege Knapsack":

I first wanted to say that I found McIntosh’s piece on white privilege very thought provoking. I like that in her text, she lists ways in which someone can recognize white privilege; giving examples to an idea that may seem foreign idea to most.

The first thing I enjoyed about McIntosh’s piece was her correlation of male privilege to white privilege. I think explaining some difficulties that women (as a whole & as a movement) have gone through to make men aware of their male privileged status in society was great. I thought her quote, “…whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege” (McIntosh 1). Pointing out some of the issues women face with men denying their societal power was a great way to introduce the idea of white privilege; since almost everyone is quite conscious of the Women’s Movement.

I also found McIntosh’s list of “daily effects of white privilege” mostly spot on. I do think that this may seem more relevant to me, because I’m of mixed ethnic background, and it is easier to see where I may become an outsider of the “normal” group. For instance, McIntosh lists a few things that I feel my white peers my take for grante

5. “I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented”

20. “I can easily buy posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children’s magazines featuring people of my race”

For me, this is false. Sometimes I can watch television for an hour, and count on my hand how many times I see people who represent my culture on TV. The big screen is worst, there are definitely not many summer blockbusters that have a largely ethnic cast, or lead roles, for that matter, without being categorized as a “black film” (i.e. Medea movies). Most picture books I buy for my son feature all white families. The few books that do have multicultural protagonists were bought at Barnes&Nobles… After black history month… They of course were on sale.

And finally… I just wanted to say that I loved Pat Parker’s poem, “For the White Person Who Wants to be My Friend”. I actually laughed aloud. It was so true... For so many, it seems a precarious thing to have a black friend. What to say? And How to say it without being labeled as an “ignorant racist”. Well, to all my dear white friends, please read “For the White Person Who Wants to be My Friend”. Your other black friends, and I, will thank you!