IBARW: White Privilege

[fabrisse]

Let me start this by saying, I'm 5'2" (about 164 cm for those of you who are metric), blue eyed, and white. I went to boarding school, for heaven's sake. There's not much more white privilege I can have.

I think I have the Ur-example of white privilege to give you all.

About five years ago, my sister called me. Someone with our last name had called her. I'll refer to him as M. He explained that he knew all the others with our surname in the Los Angeles area, mostly because he was their father, grandfather, or cousin, and was interested to know if this new person might also be a relative. It's a very uncommon surname.

Being good southerners, both sides carried complete genealogies in their heads. It was determined that of the four brothers who came to this country around 1789, we were descended from the one who settled in Maryland and they were descended from the one who settled in Tennessee. An hour and a half later, they were finally getting down to maybe saying goodbye -- we'd already been invited to the family reunion -- and M asked, "Are you black or white?"

Sis answered, "White, of course."

M said, "There's no 'of course' about it."

It's the "of course" which makes it art a pure example of white privilege.

This is what I can't get through to people.

A few years ago, I was mugged.

The friends who weren't in Boston or on LJ that I told, including my sister, assumed the muggers were black. Sis actually went on a long diatribe about how black people resented white people and about the time she said, "I don't know why they didn't just shoot you," I told her I had to hang up. I shook for an hour.

To another friend who made the assumption a few days later, my answer was, "Yes, and so was the housemate who comforted me. Your point?"

I have been told "You'll never be hired by the District because you're not black. They only want their own." To which I've said, "How does that differ from the all white offices I've been a part of?"

We, who are in the position of privilege, don't seem to understand that we get away with the very things we try to call other races on.

I think the single most appalling thing I can remember someone suggesting to me (yes, even beating out the married professor who tried to get me to better my grade by sleeping with him), is that I use my Native American heritage to get funding for college. The person making the suggestion kept saying it was unfair for minorities to get help for college and not white people.

Damn, this sounds self justifying. I don't mean it to. I'm sure I've done some horribly kack-handed things. But part of White Privilege is never having to recognize your own stupidity.

What's the emoticon for an eyeroll?

Comments

[riverfox.livejournal.com]

Your background is the opposite of mine. *gg* I'm Irish White, and from a mixture of families who were both blue collar Irish-Canadian/English and Tennessee white trash. College was something only the "lucky" got to have. And still, the bigots in my family resented the non-whites for having more "privilege" (as they called it) than they did. They didn't see that it was economic circumstance, not race, that had them where they were, and that passed things down generations. But racism and "white privilege" is easier to use as a scapegoat.

I don't think you sounded self-justifying. The person who suggested you abuse the Native American bloodline did. Whites (privileged or not, frankly) have taken advantage of their abusive racism, have had their "privilege", for a very long time, and now they cry "unfair" because they're *forced* to share with others. Well boo-hoo. It's way past time they learned that they don't run the planet by themselves.

[illariy.livejournal.com]

But part of White Privilege is never having to recognize your own stupidity.


Yes. Thank you for this post.

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

Thank you for reading it.

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

This was an oddly difficult post to write.

I love that you always take the time to comment.

[riverfox.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, hun. I just found a thoughtful, and thought-provoking, post. :)

You're welcome, sweetie. Besides, I don't see why not. You're one of my dearest friends. :) Oh, and regarding your recents post, I'm so glad you're going out with friends and not forced to freak out whenever Mr. Psycho calls. I only wish I afford to come down. We'll just have to wait a little longer, that's all. Then you can show me around to the museums I haven't seen and your favorite places to go. :) The one place I missed when I was there that I really missed going to was the Library of Congress. As a book person, that would have been awesome. :)

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

The Jefferson building at Library of Congress is spectacular. We'll definitely see it whenever we can arrange your visit.