What is ‘White Privilege’?
sam white
My long and extremely thought-provoking journey to educate myself on white privilege began in light of the Black Lives Matter movement. If you asked me a year or two ago about white privilege, I would have flat out denied the existence of it. My ignorance backed me into a corner until I had no option but to acknowledge the phantom lingering over us all. I refer to it as such since many people believe white privilege doesn’t exist, and the ability to ignore it is a privilege. Acknowledging the existence of white privilege is hard. We are constantly fed misinformation about it and how it affects people of colour. The acknowledgment is only the beginning of a long path towards dismantling a system in which white people profit, whilst the minority is neglected. Saying “all white people have privilege” does in no way mean that“white people don’t struggle” because of course, each individual has their own struggles regardless of race. Stating this only means to reiterate that white people don’t struggle in life because of their skin colour or cultural background. The systems that exist in Australia today are a product of years of inequality towards minorities that favours white people. Take into consideration that Indigenous Australians were murdered for decades after colonisation. The stolen generation has caused a devastating ripple effect that is still in effect today. A perk of having white privilege is the ability to enjoy stolen land, without the burden of generational trauma. If you are white, you have privilege whether you acknowledge it or not, but no one is born racist. Being white does not make you inherently racist. This privilege is a result of centuries of colonisation and genocide, where the whites would come out on op. It’s up to the younger generations to be more educated around this issue. Believe it or not, your white privilege can be used for good in many ways. Some examples include: - Amplifying anti-racism around peers. - Breaking down harmful stereotypes. - Actively shutting down hate speech. - Supporting and empowering fellow people of colour. White privilege does not mean your life hasn’t been hard; that isn’t the purpose of the term. It means that your race isn’t an obstacle or barrier in your life. It means you can blissfully enjoy life without the fear of racial profiling or harmful stereotypes. And it means your life isn’t in danger because of your race. As disappointing as it seems, our fight to end racism isn’t over, but with education and supportive community, we can begin to make a difference.
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