My Fellow White People: This Is What’s Meant By ‘White Privilege’
Why we’re so resistant to it, and why we should definitely “check it”
A hot topic and label that’s accused of being insulting, presumptive, condescending (and even “racist”), ‘white privilege’ is possibly one of the most polarizing terms for white Americans today. Yet, it’s not a slur; it’s simply a fact — backed with research and statistics. To think of it otherwise is to vastly misunderstand the concept, and moreover, to outright dismiss an opportunity to foster empathy. If ‘white privilege’ is not pejorative, then why are we so resistant to acknowledging its presence in the first place?
“What more is it going to take? What more do we have to do to make up for what our ancestors did decades ago? Slavery is over! We all have the same opportunities now. People just need to quit complaining and pull themselves up by the bootstraps!”
This sentiment (among many other variations) is just one example of a common misconception that’s perpetuated and echoed every day in white mainstream America. Good, decent, upstanding Christian people with good hearts, who all look something like…
