Summary Of White Privilege By Peggy Mclntosh

650 Words2 Pages

White privilege is a controversial term a lot of individuals lack real understanding of. As Peggy Mclntosh explains in her article “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” the term privilege seems to be quite misleading to many. While some might take offense to it and believe it overshadows their hard work or struggle the reality is, white privilege appears to be systematically awarding dominance simply due to the color of one’s skin. For this specific article, Mclntosh chose to focus her argument only on matters where privilege comes with the color of your skin rather than socioeconomic status, religion, or location. She listed advantages such as being able to criticize the government and their policies without being seen as an outcast, or getting a …show more content…

I agree with the points McIntosh makes throughout the article. I especially liked that she pointed out the difference between being a woman and being a woman of color in America. As a woman of color, you are not only oppressed for your gender but for the color of your skin too. As a minority, I have been in those uncomfortable positions of being the only person of my race in a room or feeling like I don’t belong in a group due to your race. I have also dealt with individuals being surprised that I speak English so well or asking me where I’m “really” from. These are things that white individuals don’t really experience. Although Mclntosh focused on the privilege that comes with the color of your skin, the invisible knapsack can manifest itself in other terms as well. For example, religion, age, and sexual

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