When I was growing up, I was always taught to look at people differently. My mom raised me to look past the color of people's skin and to look at the content of their character. The one thing I wish she had taught me, though, was how important the color of your skin is to the rest of the world around you.
I am a 21-year-old white female, and up until coming to college, I had never actually considered how the color of my skin affected the opportunities I had. Don't get me wrong: I have been aware for a long time that because I'm white, I have privilege, but I never really realized how significant that privilege was.
In my Sociology class my sophomore year of college, my professor introduced our class to an article by a woman named Peggy McIntosh called 'White Privilege: Unpacking The Invisible Knapsack', and I can honestly say that after reading it, I was shocked about how many things on her list I had never even considered. For example, I had never actually considered the fact that if I needed to move, I could rent or own a home in an area that I would like to live that I could also afford. Another thing that I had never really considered was that whether or not I use checks, credit cards, or cash, my financial reliability will never come into question.
Reading the words of Peggy McIntosh made me take a close look at all of the opportunities I had been given throughout my life. I realized that many of my opportunities for education, work, or other activities that I had participated in all were part of having white skin. Whether it was a conscious activity or unconscious of those who perpetrated it or not, I was given opportunities that others may not have had. For example, the staff of the grocery store I used to work for was predominantly white, and those who weren't didn't usually stay very long.
It still breaks my heart that in this day and age, there are still people who refuse to acknowledge the fact that white privilege exists. I don't understand how someone can deny it. Race still plays a huge part in American culture today, and by continuing to ignore problems like white privilege, we are further perpetuating the stereotype that we, as a race of people, are bigots.
I ask that each and every person who sees this take a look at Peggy McIntosh's article and take a look at the level of privilege they have.
If what I say here offends you, I'm sorry. However, the fact of the matter is that we cannot continue to turn a blind eye to such a prominent problem facing our country today. Thank you for your time.
