The “Norm” Within Our Society
People for many decades has and still have been viewing people in terms of binaries – people either fit in one side of the list or the other, there is no in-between. By viewing people using the characteristics of the binary, there will always be someone on top of them, or underneath them. People that are on top are considered the “unmarked”, meaning they aren’t measured the same way a racialized person is. Peoples accomplishments are shown by the oppressions of others and their selves. The way individuals think is purely constructed by society and the fact that money is considered to be powerful. North America has made it a struggle for many people that do not fit the “norm”, i.e., Caucasian, male, fit and financial
…show more content…
Although it is described to be the norm if you are Caucasian, male, fit and financial secure which puts these males at the center of society (Perry 2011: 3). Perry mentions that not all Caucasians fit within those restrictions. If Caucasian doesn’t have certain traits, they are not considered under the same category as the privileged. When looking at the difference between Caucasians and black people, in the eyes of the binary, white people are above black people. Black people were denied the right to be considered human which resulted in them not being allowed to apply for their citizenship. One example that Perry includes in this article to justify that black people are underneath white people, is with slavery. With Slavery, they were unable to common things that people who were considered human had i.e., voting, access to public buildings, etc., this was on going till around the twenty century (Perry 2011: 5). Now people can obtain a Canadian Citizenship but cannot enjoy the same privileges that “white” people can. Perry discusses the crime within this article as well, most crime happens within the same races, people of color are most likely to be exposed to racial violence and victimization. Most violence is within racial males, although that’s not the case when dealing with sexual assault and domestic and family violence those disputes are usually …show more content…
Although, McIntosh is not the “norm”. Considering in Perry’s article the “norm” is a male, that is white, fit and financially secure, she is “norm” to racial people. McIntosh gives examples of how she knows she can do certain things such: as not being targeted for crimes because of her color, or not being asked to speak for all people with the same skin color or looked down upon because of her financial situation (McIntosh, 94). This is an example of the “mythical norm” because compared to other racialized people; white girls have certain privileges over other people that aren’t white. McIntosh being white, has protected her from many things that include feeling unwanted, useless, and stressed (McIntosh, 96). This example of how McIntosh knows that she can do certain things without having a hard time, or being looked down upon, like a racialized individual has many aspects of oppression. For instance, it deals with how she does not have to worry about being pulled over because of her race, unlike someone that is black, or in regards with not being worried that she got a certain position, because the company does not want to look racist. When referring back to Perry’s article, The Mythical Norm Privilege has to do with race and sex, not if people were born into wealth or poor, if white makes work hard enough, they can work
McIntosh argues that her schooling never taught her that she was the oppressor, as a person who had an unfair advantage. She was taught that her race was “morally neutral, normative, and average, also ideal.” She decided to work on herself by identifying these privileges she was born with because of her skin tone. She lists all of the privileges she has taken advantage of. She realizes that she tries to avoid taking advantage of these privileges because in doing so she would have to give up the myth of meritocracy. She also states, “If these things are true this is not such a free country; one’s life is not what one makes it;
She says, “When I am told about our national heritage or about ‘civilization,’ I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.” McIntosh demonstrates that people born within the dominant race in America are granted certain unearned privileges that people of color are not granted. In her list, she uses daily experiences to show how white people undergo advantages, because of the color of their skin. But she completely ignores the fact that there is more than one type of privilege. She says, “ If I need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area, which I can afford and in which I would want to live” (607). She believes that because of the color of her skin, she is able to pay for her housing anywhere that she chooses. This is one of the several points that she lists that exposed her economic status as a middle class person than her status as a white person. McIntosh seems to have confused the two privileges, because she has failed to recognize her economic status as a
In conversations many people get defensive when someone says, “You have this because of your privilege” they feel as though that the person they are talking with doesn’t understand that they have worked hard for what they have, however that is not the point that anyone is trying to make. What someone in that position is saying is that although you have worked hard to get where you are your journey have been well furnished with privilege on account of your race. It is said to think about that you got somewhere in life due to the color of your skin, but it is also sadder to think that someone got declined a job, got stereotyped, or got overlooked because of their race or
Although the U.S. Constitution states that “all men are created equal,” during America’s early days it only applied to upper class white men. This upsets many people in the United States. When the Constitution first came into play, only the rich white men were treated right. As the years progressed, more and more whites
Everyone has privilege in one way or another. People feel that privilege is give to one race more, instead of every race. The race that it’s getting more privilege is the White race and with that comes White privilege. White means the people who have a light skin color also known as Caucasian or European and privilege means an advantage over others. An example of privilege is getting away with something that someone may not get away with. So White privilege is defined as “an invisible package of unearned assets that [someone that is White] can count on cashing in each day, but about which [they were] ‘meant’ to remain oblivious” (McIntosh 1990: 1). McIntosh is saying in that quote is that Whites do not recognize that they have this privilege
Peggy McIntosh wrote this article to identify how her white privilege effects her life. Each statement is written as a privilege that Ms. McIntosh does not need to consider or fear as a white woman. From financial credibility to national heritage, this article makes a valid point regarding the way white people can be arrogant and naïve when the same treatment is not being given to their neighbors, coworkers, and peers. There can be two responses when reading this. The first would be a person of color. They will appreciate the attempt at realization of what white people take for granted. The second would be the reality that smacks the white people in the face when they realize how true all 50 statements are. Once this begins to sink in, many will start to broaden their competence realizing the unfair treatment of the people in this world. Moving down the timeline, we can see how the acknowledgement can mend broken relationships. Owning the reality and doing something to change it can give the people of different races the treatment they deserve (McIntosh,
He simply looks at them as wrong. It 's okay to disagree with something, but there should be an argument to back it up. "Furthermore, I condemn them for casting the equal protection clause, indeed the very idea of a meritocracy, as a myth, and for declaring that we are all governed by invisible forces (some would call them “stigmas” or “societal norms”), that our nation runs on racist and sexist conspiracies." He disagrees with people who think that white privilege influences who controls the power, but doesn 't say why, almost like he 's expecting everyone to agree with his perspective as common sense. Conversely, McIntosh 's uses an argument to legitimize her perspective to her readers. She lists 46 advantages that she can perceive, that were given to her by white privilege. Reasons like number 41, "I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help, my race will not work against me.", number 44, "I can easily find academic courses and institutions that give attention only to people of my race." are advantages that lead her to the conclusion that "The pressure to avoid it (white privilege) is great, for in facing it I must give up the myth of meritocracy. If these things are true, this is not such a free country; one 's life is not what one makes it; many doors open for certain people through no virtues of their own.". The conclusion that meritocracy, the idea that those who put in hard work rise to power, is a myth, because of the discrepancy between opportunities offered to people based off of their race, sex, etc. is a logical
Dr. Peggy McIntosh looks at white privilege, by “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” She describes white privilege as almost a special check or coin that she gets to cash in on. Dr. McIntosh tells that white privilege has been a taboo and repressed subject – and that many white people are taught not to see or recognize it. However, she is granted privileges (McIntosh 30). Dr. McIntosh goes on to describe twenty-six ways in which her skin-color grants her certain privileges. In example twenty, she describes how she can buy “…posters, postcards, picture books…” and other items that “…feature people of my race” (32). Additionally, in her first example, she talks about being able to be in the “company of people of my race most of the time” (McIntosh 31). Instances in which a privilege person would not even recognize unless they were looking, show evidence for white privilege. People take these advantages for granted because they simply expect them. Due to the lack of melatonin in her skin, she was granted privileges and her skin served as an asset to her. Dr. McIntosh conveys how her privilege is not only a “favored state,” but also a power over other
With all of these facts, the author tries to prove that racial differences and privileges appear exaggerated and unrealistic. The privileged and less privileged exist at all levels of society. Duke wants white people to understand that they are in the same position as all other races. The awareness of “white privilege” is only a fallacy that causes feel of guilt without foundation.
By illuminating the many forms that white privilege takes, Peggy McIntosh urges readers to exercise a sociological imagination. She asks us to consider how our individual life experiences are connected to and situated within large-scale patterns and trends in society. She includes a “white privileges” checklist which includes answering yes or no to statements. For example, can Chad Aiken confidently say “I can be pulled over by a police cruiser and not have to worry about it being about my race”, or “I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to the “person in charge”, I will be facing a person of my race”. White people are generally free from this systemic bias, suspicion and low expectations that racialized people must endure everyday because it is built into our culture.
Peggy talks about racism being a part everyday life even though we ignore it. Peggy’s main idea was to inform the readers that whites are taught to ignore the fact that they enjoy social privileges that people of color do not because we live in a society of white dominance. Even though society has come a long way, it still has a longer way to go in improving social profiling. There are many things minorities will never have the opportunity to experience or understand because they are not white. It doesn't matter what we do, how much we work, how much money we have, we’ll never experience white privileges. White people are not stereotyped like other races are. They are also not looked down upon other races. The list of daily effects that McIntosh describe are perfect examples of what minorities will never get to experience. Some of her points are, “ 13. I can speak in public to a powerful male group without putting my face on trial” she also points out that people of minority will not experience never being “ asked to speak for all the people of my social group” (McIntosh 99). No matter how one may try to analyze a situation, white people are privileged bottom line. Some are more privileged than others by way of money or reputation and others by are privileged just by skin
...less knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks” (page 79). McIntosh’s ranges of examples are no doubt impressive, ranging privileges from education, political affairs, hygiene, the job industry, and mainly public life. Her list of examples makes it easy for her readers to relate no matter how diverse the audience. While, many would disagree with this essay McIntosh anticipates this by making the contrast among earned and acquired power vs. conferred privilege. Contrary, to anyone’s beliefs everyone has an unbiased and equal shot at earned power. However, conferred privilege is available to certain groups: particularly the white race. America is founded on a system of earned power, where we fight for what we believe in, particularly freedom and equality. However, this is simply a mirage we want to believe in.
Discrimination has always been there between blacks and whites. Since the 1800s where racial issues and differences started flourishing till today, we can still find people of different colors treated unequally. “[R]acial differences are more in the mind than in the genes. Thus we conclude superiority and inferiority associated with racial differences are often socially constructed to satisfy the socio-political agenda of the dominant group”(Heewon Chang,Timothy Dodd;2001;1).
Even though the majority of text is about white privilege, she does also reference male privilege. She states that “… I saw parallels here with… male privilege” (605). The same problem that plague white privilege, also affect male privilege. Men have certain advantage that put them over women. McIntosh also seems to be aware of “… several types of layers of denial… protecting and preventing awareness about… male privilege” (606). She claims that men deny the fact that ...
Society is filled with outcasts. Everywhere one looks, there is someone who is different and has been labeled as an outcast by the others around them. People fear disturbance of their regular lives, so they do their best to keep them free of people who could do just that. An example of this in our society is shown in people of color. Whites label people who do not look the same as them as and treat them as if they are less important as they are. The white people in our society, many times unconsciously, degrade people of color because they fear the intuition that they could cause in their everyday lives. Society creates outcasts when people are different from the “norm.”