The Republic of T. Archives

While reading my bloglines, via Atrios I came across a post by Scott, of Angry White Kid (to whom I’m linked through the Progressive Blog Alliance). While Atrios was noting the white supremacists who’ve commented on this post, I was more intrigued by the discussion on privilege, which is part of Scott’s blogging M.O., that seemed to get drowned out by the racists’ comments.

I don’t think I hate being white, persay, but instead try to consistently acknowledge the privilege that goes along with being white - hence even the naming of my blog “Angry White Kid.”

Good for him. It’s something that doesn’t get discussed much in this country, the idea of inherent privilege based on race, gender, orientation, etc. We, or at least some of us, like to think that ours is a classess society. The degree to which we’re able to think that often depends on where we stand in the categories mentioned above, as well as a few others. Depending on our status in those categories, it can be easy to ignore priviledges we’re afforded based on characteristics we have little to no control over.

For example, I can easily speak extemporaneously about privileges I’m denied because of my race or sexual orienataion. However it might be a bit more challenging to think of privileges I am afforded because of my gender, because it’s much easier for me to take them for granted. I probably enocunter them several times a day, without even thinking abou them.

Scott linked to this article, which sports an itemized list of “white benefits.” It got me thinking about that as well as other forms of privilege, and what the benefits of those might be. I was able to scare up a few articles that offered similar laundry lists on male privilege and heterosexual privilege.

After the jump, I’ll link to the articles I found, but I have a few other questions first.

• I noticed all of the articles are written by people who can claim these privileges.
• How different might they be if they were written by people who are denied those privileges?
• What would you add to the lists? Is there another side of the privilege coin; meaning, are there advantages to not having access to those priviledges?
• If you’re somone who can’t claim access to one or more sets of privileges, would you “trade places” with someone who does? Temporarily? Permanently? (Personally, in my next life, I’d like to come back as a white, heterosexual, protestant male with inherited wealth; just to try it out.)

And now, on to the articles and the “laundry lists” of privilege.

From a fairly popular essay on white privilege comes the following examples.

I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.

If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live.

I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.

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

When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.

I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.

I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.

My culture gives me little fear about ignoring the perspectives and powers of people of other races.

Plus this one that seemed more an item for a list on heterosexual privilege.

My children are given texts and classes which implicitly support our kind of family unit and do not turn them against my choice of domestic partnership.

An article on male privilege, modeled on the previous article, yielded the following examples.

The odds of my encountering sexual harassment on the job are so low as to be negligible.

If I’m a teen or adult, and if I can stay out of prison, my odds of being raped are so low as to be negligible.

I am not taught to fear walking alone after dark in average public spaces.

If I have children and pursue a career, no one will think I’m selfish for not staying at home.

I can be loud with no fear of being called a shrew. I can be aggressive with no fear of being called a bitch.

I have the privilege of being unaware of my male privilege.

And from a similar article on heterosexual privilege.

I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my sexuality most
of the time.

If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a
location will be neutral or pleasant to me.

I can be sure I will not be denied the right to marry whomever I choose to.

I can be pretty sure that I can adopt children.

I can be sure I will not be denied insurance, employment or credit due to
my sexuality.

I can arrange to protect my children most of the time from people who
might not like them.

I am honestly portrayed in the media.

I am never asked to speak for all the people of my sexuality.

I needn’t hide my sexuality in certain situations for personal safety.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 11th, 2005 at 10:20 am and is filed under Gay Rights, Race, Weblogs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.