EDUCATE YOURSELF

Educate yourself! Resources to empower yourself and your community

WHITE PRIVILEGE HAS TURNED INTO AN INCENDIARY PHRASE THAT GETS CERTAIN GROUPS GNASHING THEIR TEETH. THE TERM “PRIVILEGE” BRINGS UP IMAGES OF TRUST FUNDS, COLLEGE PREP SCHOOLS AND A LIFE FREE OF STRUGGLE AND WORRY.

Perhaps a better way of thinking about white “privilege” is to think about how white, male authority has become normalized.

THE INVISIBILITY OF PRIVILEGE Part of the challenge of educating yourself, and those around you, about privilege is that privilege is invisible if you’ve got it and obvious if you don’t. Getting someone to understand that the normalization of white male power is actually an aberration of how a power structure could work in our nation is going to take a lot of work.

RACISM ISN’T PERSONAL Racism (and sexism) are systemic, not personal. Bigotry (and chauvinism) are personal. If you hold bigoted ideas as a white person against people of other colours, you are shielded or protected under the umbrella of systemic racism. For those who hold bigoted ideas against white people, the thoughts may be destructive and corrosive, but they’re not protected or normalized in the culture of the majority. Getting a good look at the destructive power of systemic racism can be deeply uncomfortable. Podcasts for kids that tell the story of sports heroes like Wilma Rudolph offer an historic perspective on how systemic racism is strangling the nation. BOOKS TO EXPAND VIEWPOINTS For those willing to listen to a non-white perspective, books like Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad are a terrific start. Part of understanding the corrosive power of white privilege is that you have to yank out your worldview and take a good look at why you think what you think. The trouble is that your worldview is wired in pretty tight, and many of those bonds were forged by people you care deeply about. Yanking on it hurts. If you can’t see the world from another perspective as yet, Angry White Men by sociologist Michael Kimmel is a good start. The truth is that white male power is dying because it isn’t good for people of any gender or color. The painful part is that it won’t go gently. Many of the most violent racial uprisings against people of color were tied to the myth of the risk of white female fragility and safety. Authors like Brene Brown are beating this terrible trend back by promoting the support of BIPOC bookstores and the community group Together Rising.

START THE CONVERSATION Whether on social media, in person or at the dinner table with your family share your viewpoint with others and open up the conversation about BLM, BIPOC, equality and anti-racism. Social media is an easy and great way to show that you’re an ally by creating or sharing educational and evidence based antiracism posts and pro BLM. Monitor these and be willing to remove trolls, even if you have to deal with them at the weekend barbeque. Be the example by walking your talk and not just being a keyboard warrior. If you have privilege through skin color, sexual preference or gender, become an umbrella. Post about things that will let your community know what you believe, what you are doing to be part of the solution and help support people from being abused or abusive. This is by no means an exhaustive list and self-education is never done. So if you have other suggestions please share through our social media channels. Let’s keep educating ourselves so we can create a better world.