Discussion Journal #4

This week in our class lectures we focused a lot on "white privilege." On Tuesday we went over an article written by Peggy McIntosh, "White Privilege." Jeremy said that this article may be one we have seen in other classes, as it is a topic that is commonly brought up. I have seen this article before, in my communication and gender class last semester. The discussion in both of the classes seemed quite similar, but Jeremy also related it to something us as students may understand a little better. He tied in Macklemore's lyrics. Macklemore says "So scared to acknowledge the benefits of our white privilege." McIntosh in her piece says "I think whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege." White privilege can be defined as a set of privileges that those who are white have compared to those of color in relation to social, political or economic spaces. 

McIntosh in her article decided to write a list of 'white privileges' in her daily life. When I looked over it I felt like it was quite a long list. She had 26 different points she thought of, some simple such as I can find a bandage to cover up my skin in my skin tone, where others were a little more intense such as when talking to a person "in charge" it will be of their race. A girl in class mentioned that it's easy for her to walk into the store and find makeup that will match her skin no problem, but it may be harder for someone of color trying to do the same. Those little things I never think of, buying makeup or that the bandage will match my skin tone, and I never thought that might actually bother someone of color they don't get those options. We are quick to judge and assume a lot of the time. Steve told us a story of when one time he said he worked at the University of Utah people assumed he worked with the football team or in athletics because of his skin color.

Whileo I was writing this my parents called to tell me that unfortunately I can't go home for Christmas, for the second year in a row. I was really looking forward to it as for me home is so far away and I only get to go there maybe once or twice a year. I was complaining to my co-worker and while I was I said "geez I am complaining about not being able to go hme, but there are bigger things that other people have to face, like the fact of 'white privilege.' He asked what it was and I explained it to him. I told him I learned a lot about it in class and that it's not something we tend to really ever think of. I notice it at my work a lot of the time. I am standing at the front desk of my work with one of my co-workers who is of color and white people tend to come to me first while people of color talk to her. People always assume I am supervisor, where she actually is. It's the little things we don't notice that are the things that mean the most. From now on I am going to actually pay attention to those little details and try and not own such a label of 'white privilege."