Dear White People,
Stop saying all lives matter. Do you know how stupid you sound? Of course, all lives are supposed to matter. The thing is, your life already has significance because of your skin color. Because you were born with white skin, your life has inherent value where a person with darker skin isn’t given that same value due to systemic racism. Black Lives Matter is a movement to bring attention to people who are still oppressed in this day and age. Don’t believe me? Read the below list and see if white privilege still exists.
As a white person I…
1. Have never been called a derogatory term based on my skin color
2. Don’t get told I “speak eloquently for a white girl.”
3. Was never told that I got accepted to college just because of affirmative action.
4. Have never been searched by the TSA at the airport.
5. Have generally good interactions with police officers.
6. Do not have to fear getting shot at point blank range for having a taillight out.
7. Do not have my hair touched by strangers.
8. Am represented in the media.
9. Don’t get asked, “No, but where are you from?”
10. Am statistically less likely to go to prison or live below the poverty line.
11. Can dress and act however I like without being label as “hood,” “thug,” “gangster,” etc.
12. Have never been asked, “As a white person, what do you think?”
13. Will never blame my skin color for not getting a job.
14. Am automatically trusted to not rob a store when I enter at night.
15. Can walk around in a hoodie with the hood up and not get shot.
16. Will not experience appropriation of my culture.
17. Am treated like I am intelligent, and people are not surprised when I am intelligent.
18. Do not feel pressure to represent my entire race.
19. Can listen to loud music in my car without being looked at negatively.
20. Can buy makeup that matches my skin color.
21. Can buy “nude” products that only come in one color which matches mine.
22. Will have a wonderful photo of me run on news outlets if I die.
23. Can google the word “beauty” and see people that look like me.
24. Can hang out with my other white friends and not be seen as a “gang.”
25. Am not judged on my financial status off of my skin color.
26. Can easily find someone to cut my hair.
27. Was not educated on systemic racism to protect myself from physical harm.
28. Don’t get called an “angry white b*tch” if I raise my voice in public.
29. Have never been called, “a bad white person,” if I didn’t know something of my ethnic history.
30. Do not get told to get over slavery.
31. Am not oppressed for my skin color.
32. Can trust that my race will not work against me if I need legal or medical help.
33. Always have my name pronounced correctly.
34. Can live my life how I please and not have it reflect on my race.
35. Did not have to fight for my rights in the United States government (except for being female).
36. Am not fetishized by the media.
37. Can trust if I commit a heinous crime my sentence will be lighter than if I wasn’t white.
38. Will be able to successfully blame my mental health for committing the above crime.
39. Have never experienced tokenism.
40. Have never been turned away from a social event for my skin color.
41. Can trust that if I am murdered, my murderer will be convicted.
42. Am statistically less likely to be murdered or raped, especially if I am part of the LGBTQIA+ community.
43. Can watch televised award shows and see people that look like me win.
44. Do not fear for my loved ones dying based on their skin color.
45. Can trust that politicians will not target me based on my skin color.
46. Can practice any religion without hate.
47. Believe that if I die the media will portray me for who I was, and not just another white kid dead.
48. Can read history textbooks and read about my history.
49. Can walk outside without my mother worrying if I will make it home.
50. Am able to live my life.
Stop saying All Lives Matter.
Because right now, it’s not “All Lives Matter,” and that needs to end.
