Students were required to address ‘whiteness’ and describe what the term ‘white’ means, as well as explain how they ‘navigate race’ in their daily lives.

Students were required to address ‘whiteness’ and describe what the term ‘white’ means, as well as explain how they ‘navigate race’ in their daily lives.

  •  jarfil   ( @jarfil@beehaw.org ) 
    5•11 months ago

    I navigate my “whiteness” by covering it in clothes… then getting treated dismissively by doctors because I “have plenty of resources”, “have your family help you”, “just change your whole life or you’ll be dead in 5 years”, and “have you already stopped with those silly ideas?”.

    Thanks for the privilege, by the way.

    •  FZDC   ( @FZDC@beehaw.org ) 
      13•11 months ago

      I’m healthy, fit, educated, and kinda rich. I’m also a man.

      Do you believe those circumstances grant me with privilege?

      The answer is obviously yes, so I’ll acknowledge it, rather than try to change the subject to ways in which I’m not privileged. Bringing up ways that white people may not be so privileged doesn’t actually address whiteness as privilege.

      And privilege isn’t even something to feel guilty about. It’s just worth acknowledging in a “know thyself” kind of way.

      •  jarfil   ( @jarfil@beehaw.org ) 
        1•11 months ago

        Bringing up ways that white people may not be so privileged doesn’t actually address whiteness as privilege.

        What about ways in which “being privileged”, turns out to actually be a hindrance?

        I used to be a healthy, fit, educated, not poor, not homeless, white, tall, man, blonde, with blue eyes… oh, and high IQ.

        Wait, did I just describe the Aryan ideal? Ultra-privileged, right?

        What pisses me off, is that after being aware of those privileges from relatively early, and being really careful to never abuse any of them, when it turns out that I need help, instead I get my privileges thrown in my face.

        It’s not a privilege to get mocked and laughed off by doctors, to get failed by teachers, to get your work destroyed, to not get believed about family problems, all because “you’re privileged”.

        Heck, I once almost got run over by a car, because I nodded at a black girl to let her pass first, and she went off her way to hit me with the stroller with her baby inside, pushing me off the curb into traffic. Like, seriously?

        So what, did I live my life wrong? Should have joined some neo-Nazi group? Should have used my privileges to abuse and scam everyone left and right? Should have kicked the baby…? The fuck.