White Skin Privilege
Our generation didn't build the house of racism,
but we are living in it and reaping its benefits.
The Greatest Privilege
The concept of “privilege” often refers to someone having an advantage that another does not. There are many types of privilege in our society. Being able-bodied, male and straight, being married, first-born, considered attractive, intelligent, born into a functional family, having white skin—these are all privileges. Each of these affords the holder of that privilege an advantage over another who does not have that advantage. But the greatest advantage of these is having white skin. Jamira Burley defines ‘white privilege’ “as having something that you didn’t earn. It’s being born into an identity that gives you access to a world in which no one else has access to.” White skin has allowed wealth to accumulate intergenerationally for many white people, giving
them huge advantages in an American society where money so often determines access to services. White skin is a ticket to greater access to healthcare, to a safe neighborhood, to good legal representation, housing loans, better school systems, and access to better jobs. White skin greatly reduces your chances of being mistreated by the police or being the victim of frivolous incarceration.
Do NOT turn this into guilt! It’s not needed.
Racial oppression is not your fault as an individual. You had no control over where you were born, the color of your skin, or the white society you grew up in. All of this contributed to you being the person you are today. So it’s not your fault that you benefit from white privilege. So please, get over it. However, at the very least, it is your responsibility to become aware of how you benefit. If you do that, if you see what you can’t unsee, it becomes much easier to become an ally of antiracism. It becomes easier to take action that would lead to a living wage, access to health care, a revised educational system, adequate food, shelter, and an equitable justice system for all.
Because white people have the power by virtue of their privileges, it is incumbent upon us to take actions that begin to level the playing field. Is it not an act of insanity that skin color, alone, creates such inequity in our society? An alien visiting our planet would surely be bewildered by this odd delineation. It is a distinction that can no longer be tolerated or defended.
Who will bring about those overdue changes? Well, it will likely be those who are generally considered to be “privileged.” Those who have the time, the money, the power, and by virtue of that power, the wherewithal are the ones with the greatest responsibility for bringing about change.
If you can own your white privilege and know in your heart that you’ve had advantages that people of color have not, take the “more” that you have in your life, whether that be financial abundance, a certain skill you possess, a strong support network on Facebook or Twitter, and use your resources to take steps to eradicate racism. Release your guilt and be grateful for your privileges. But most of all, harness them to create positive change and equality in a world where we are all sisters and brothers.
That kind of love is truly the greatest “privilege.”
I have a doctorate in counseling psychology and have been a psychotherapist for 35 years. My work centers around helping others to heal from trauma, release old beliefs and behaviors that no longer serve them, and cultivate new patterns that allow them to thrive. stevensmithpsychologist.com
I am also an author of a book based on 5 life-enhancing principles, titled, “Living Your Best: A Powerful Blueprint for Personal Transformation.” https://stevensmith-author.com/