Weekly Media Assignment #1-White Privilege

White privilege in the world today is very prevalent, but I think that many white Americans are oblivious to it. Some white people today do not fully understand the importance of the knowledge of white privilege. In a white privilege blog that I responded to today the blogger gave a very interesting quote by Patricia J. Williams that read, “How can it be that so many well meaning white people have never thought about race when so few blacks pass a single day without being reminded of it?” This is a very good example of white privilege. The relevance of white privilege in this class is very important. In this class we discuss race and gender in the media. The media portrays white privilege like it is any other thing. They do not teach it to their viewers, which they should.

Not until taking this class did I fully understand the concept of white privilege. Being a white female I obviously have white privilege. When I walk into a clothing store I am immediately greeted with a “Hello ma’am, is there anything I can help you with today.” This is a thing that I took for granted, until fully understanding the concept of white privilege.

Peggy McIntosh gives 46 examples of white privilege, and when I was reading them almost all of them were extremely true in my perspective. One that we talked about today in class was #5 on the list: “I can go shopping alone most of the time, fairly well assured that I will not be followed or harassed by store detectives.” I have never once been followed by security at a retail store before. This is something that I now say with gratitude. This is something that I say that I wish all people in America could say, but that is definitely not the case. Also, #26 really caught my attention, as well: “I can easily buy posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children’s magazines featuring people of my race.” As a little girl I would go to Wal-Mart to buy a Barbie. I would not have to worry about picking out which one according to my skin color because I knew that there would be over 20 white Barbies to choose from. Where as if a little African American girl would want to find a Barbie doll that matched her skin color she would only have one or two dolls to pick from, and these dolls were not even officially named Barbie, her name was “Christie.”

I whole-heartedly agree with the concept of white privilege. I do not think that white privilege should be held with all negative connotations, unless the certain white person takes it a step beyond and starts being racist and/or prejudice. In the case of white privilege the person is often unaware of their privilege. We discussed today in class that historians think that in the year 2050 the United States will become 50% white people and 50% people of color. I pray that this does happen. No one should be viewed better or worse than one another. Everyone should be created equal, just as God wants us to be.