Race is a social construct based off of systematic oppression and status of power. White people only exist as white in relation to what they own in America such as political and economical power, as well as privilege. They have the ability to get a pass to not work as hard as other races as well as get less harsh punishments for their wrongdoings. Racism also causes those that fall under the category of white to believe that they are not racist, but in reality are taught to behave in that manner. They consistently have subconscious racist thoughts because of…
In America, the racial divide between whites and blacks is quickly growing. To fully understand racism, it is necessary to look at how power in the hands of white people has consequently led to oppression and racism towards people of color. Many people, particularly whites, believe that racism stemmed from physical differences between whites and people of color; however, if one truly examines racial differences they will see that these so called “differences” are more social than physical. For centuries, white people have held specific biases and prejudices against people of color, claiming that they were inferior to whites. This notion of subordination began because the white men held the highest form of power one can hold; the power of…
Many people could say that white Americans are living with the fear that they didn’t really deserve their success, and that maybe luck and privilege had more to do with it, than brains and hard work, but there is always two sides to every story. That other side conflicts with that and say white Americans worked hard to get to where they are in life and it had nothing to do with privilege. There are numerous reasons for the widespread discrimination at all levels, but the main reason for the existence of discrimination is a privilege to certain groups of people, and widespread social prejudice towards certain groups of people. Differences between people have always existed, but they gain importance only when different importance are given to…
Whiteness studies incorporate aspects such as the cultural, social and historical factors relative to the people identified as the white citizens in the United States. These studies exist around the idea that white privilege is in fact alive in our social world. Meaning the playing field isn’t level between different races and that white individual’s benefit from it. Whiteness Studies were popular in the mid-1990s. During that time there were numerus studies that surrounded whiteness. The authors of those studies were inspired by the concepts of post modernism and society’s racial history including the philosophy of white superiority. Some argue that the principles of the ideologies were specifically intended to justify the concept of racial…
The article “Understanding Whiteness,” conveys the understanding of white privilege and advantages that are commonly experienced. American culture allows those who are white the privilege of not thinking about race in most situations or gatherings they encounter, as they are the majority. It is much easier to see the advantages of being White, when you are the minority or a person of color consistently regulated by white middle class…
This social structure, leads to what is called white fragility. To me, white fragility means that there is negative behavior portrayed by white people when there is any hint of racism or racial injustice discussed. I believe this issue can most definitely be combated, although I also believe that it will take many years to accomplish. I think it can be combated by teaching children at a young age, no matter their color, how our society functions as different races have privilege or power over others. Since we are conditioned to be a certain way starting at birth, this could potentially condition the younger generations of how society truly is, therefore altering the path of which racism and prejudice lingers.…
White privilege is a way of conceptualizing racial inequalities that focuses as much on the advantages that white people accrue from society as on the disadvantages that people of colour experience. This privilege is shown when a certain group of people aren’t allowed in this area or men are only approved in this club. Blatant exercise of perivalage definitely exists, but not in the way most people think. It is only the very top of the iceberg (Rothenberg, 2012, p. 110). Everyone is measured against whether they succeed or fail. This is the norm and anyone who isn’t the norm is an alternative (Rothenberg, 2012, p. 111).…
I Strongly Believe, White supremacy has an antagonistic and demeaning effect on minorities. White supremacy is the belief, and the promotion of the belief, that white people are superior to people of other racial backgrounds. And can be classified as forms of racism and discrimination, and can be social or physical.…
For this assignment I chose to reflect on the interview from “The Whiteness Project” by a 17 year-old girl named Leilani whose interview is titled “Stop talking about racism, just stop.” I chose to write about what she said because it really does reflect almost exactly what I feel about the topic of racism and “Whiteness” and everything related to the topic. In her interview, Leilani talks about how she feels that if people would just stop talking about race and making it such a big issue, then it would become less of a big issue and essentially less problems would arise from it. Although I am aware that race issues are real and that in the past they have had some very serious consequences, I have to admit that I agree that we, as a culture in the U.S., may have swung to the other side of the scale to…
White Privilege is the privilege that is given to white skin or light skin people. They do not earn it, it is given to them due to their skin tone. White privilege is unfair for people of color, this is unfair by Caucasians getting better treatment, and this has been going on for generations. The majority of the time a person of color has the chance to earn privilege, a white person comes in and takes the chance the person of color had. People of color are told, they are considered “equal”, yet it is never shown as the old quote has been said before “actions speak louder than words”. The government has always said look past skin color and look at the individual’s personality, yet when shown in action there us hate shown based upon skin color.…
Oppression is defined as the exercise of authority in a burdensome and unjust manner. Discrimination is defined as actions or practices that result in differential treatment of individuals. Oppression is usually patterns of behavior like sexism which tends to force women into subservient and restricted roles. Cisgenderism, where people do not identify with their assigned gender role, but are forced to choose a role or suffer social consequences. Furthermore, ableism, lookism, ageism and sizeism are all social patterns that do not meet the social ideal of society, so these people are treated different, to an unnecessary degree. Here are examples of discrimination; Segregation, age discrimination, equal pay and compensation, disability discrimination,…
I didn't want to hear another lecture or comments from others about how we as whites have such a great life and that we are lazy and we only have what we got because we are white. In the past this topic has been very personal to me because I know what sacrifices my parents and grandparents have made to give me the life I have now. It was not easy or handed to them, they had to work for it. I always questioned how someone who doesn't even know me can make these accusations about my life. It wasn't until I read the article “Explaining White Privilege to a Broke White Person”, that I started looking at white privilege differently. The phrase “white privilege” really made me feel uncomfortable and wanted to get upset. However, this article really turned my attitude around when discussing “white privilege”. The author Gina Crosley-Corcoran explains that she read an article that explained, “it is impossible to deny that being born with white skin in America affords people certain unearned privileges in life that people of another skin color simple are not afforded. For…
Being white to me means that you automatically are distinguished as “normal” because white people tend to get the higher paying jobs simply because they are the people who dominate this world with power. Because of my ethnic identification I am seen as “non-white” and labeled as “black”, while others ethnics are labeled “others”. This tends to make the “others” feel oppressed. The privilege that is given to the white dominant group is not the same privilege given to people of color. When will our society accept that being different can be also be considered “normal?” This is privilege itself, socially constructed ideas that only exists when the members of the society believe it and enforce it. When society recognizes the idea of privilege, the ones accepting the privilege only have that opportunity to do so because of a physical characteristic that is out of their control. A lot of innocent children for the next generations growing up should be made aware of these issues, as I was not always made aware but I knew from common sense things weren’t equally the same, my history books had people like me always fighting and struggling and growing up against the other race we are still fighting and struggling for equality, and this has been forever. But I will say from everything we have been reading and learning, and what I know from personal experiences, if you are one that is born into the so called dominant group you will never know, or ever have to know what it is like to not be there. However, it matters more what one does with the privilege after receiving it. Privilege in our society can also be used as a powerful instrument into the helping of those that are being…
I am tired. If mankind is wise then it should be tired as well. My exhaustion derives from the endless conflicts the human race has faced. Often throughout history we have faced conflicts with carrying a big stick and wars. The problem with those approaches is that the little that they attempt to solve is only effective in situations where threats are tangible. In other words, when the enemy has a face. When it comes to inequality based on genders, races, and social constructs, we have nobody to blame. There is no villain that our heroes can eliminate resulting in the end of the problem. Instead invoking social changes takes time and effort faced by much adversity from resistance to change.…
The United States of America was founded on the concept that all men are created equal; however, it has taken us until the last fifty years to make significant strides toward equality for many minority groups. Nearly 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, African Americans in Southern states still inhabited a vastly unequal world of disenfranchisement, segregation and various forms of oppression, including race-inspired violence (www.history.com, 2015). In 1960, the black Americans made up 10.5% of the total population and 55% of them were living in poverty (http://www.shmoop.com/, 2015). This is just one example of how a century of oppression can affect a whole demographic.…