White Priviledge

I have always thought that I am treated well because I am a nice person. Could it actually be, though, that I am treated well because I am white? I took a few days after reading the article White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh before I wrote this post. I paid especially close attention to how others treated me verses someone who was Black or Hispanic. Yesterday morning was  one of the most egregious encounter of White Privilege I have ever witnessed... I arrived to Ihop with one of my best friends (who is also white) seconds after a Black couple. But to my dismay, the hostess asked my friend how many was in our party before acknowledging the couple. My friend wasn't paying attention and opened her mouth to answer when I  and cut her off. I told the hostess the couple was there before we were and they should be on the list before us. The hostess herself, was African American. She politely apologized and got the couple's name to wait to be seated, then got ours. The couple turned and thanked me. But I really do not want to be thanked because instances like that just should not happen.

But then I when I got home and signed on facebook to do some cyber investigations, I saw a post that absolutely horrified me. My friend Jerry, an African American male (gay), overheard his white female neighbors talking in the hallway about their fear of being raped by a "big black dude." Jerry is extremely muscular because he plays professional tennis, and is taller than the average man--one could say that he is a "big black dude." He thought about how to/if he should react after overhearing the conversation and decided to write  a note (see left). Jerry did not want to assume his neighbor was talking about him, but he thought it was best to address it so if anything, the neighbor would be ashamed of herself. The thing that is most disturbing to me about the conversation that was overheard was that race was even brought up. As a female, I can understand the fear of being raped, but it is traumatic  regardless if the perpetrator is White, Hispanic, Black, Asian, Purple, or Gray.

I have been thinking about all of the examples of White Privilege used in McIntosh's article, and started coming up with my own list (many of which were redundant). For instance:

• I am pretty sure no one thinks twice about when I get in line behind them to use the ATM.
• People do not generally cross the street when I am walking towards them, or do not walk faster when I am behind them.
• I can be sure that waiters or waitresses will not want to pass up my table in fear of not receiving a tip. (This was from a conversation I heard on the radio one morning where restaurant employees called in and said they would draw straws, or rock-paper-scissors to see who would have to wait on the African American or Latino tables...absolutely appalling.)
• If I want to buy a doll for my niece, I will be able to find a plethora that will look just like her.
• I can walk into a hotel elevator without being asked if I am a guest and then asked to provide my room key as proof.

I think its important that people understand what White Privilege is and acknowledge it. In the Pride Event I attended someone made the statement, that as long as you use White Privilege as a way of helping, then it is a good thing. Otherwise we have to fight to make everyone equal. I could have lived my whole life thinking that I am treated the way I am because I am a nice person... but that's not the reality. The reality is that I am White and some of the interactions are not authentic...and they are not because I am nice.