White Privilege

White Privilege

Even though the term “White privilege” is common in society today, the use of the term “Black privilege” has also seen a significant rise in recent years. The use of the term “Black privilege” has risen over the past few years following a series of civil rights movements that champion the rights of black people. Black people are now getting more privileges due to several attempts to fight racism in the world.

Black privilege has existed for more than two centuries. Back in the 19^th century, there were suggestions among white people that black people were not racially discriminated against as they were given special treatment. In one of its most infamous decisions, the thinking of the whites was supported by the 19^th Century U.S. Supreme Court. A Civil Rights Act was passed by Congress in 1875, banning discrimination against former slaves. Later in 1883, a high court judge wrote in the majority opinion that blacks should stop being the “special favorite of the laws” (Murdoch & McAloney-Kocaman, 2019). As debates over affirmative action and reverse racism erupted over the years, the sentiment by the judge was frequently mentioned.

However, something new is now occurring as whites now think they are the racially oppressed majority. In a widely publicized survey in 2011, whites said they are more racially discriminated against than blacks (Carnevale et al., 2018). To date, several whites believe that blacks benefit more from the fight against racism than they do. The belief is based on the fact that black people dominate several activities in the U.S., such as basketball, where more than 90% of the players who are part of the National Basketball Association are black. Such beliefs have made some whites not take part in fighting racism.

Looking at how blacks are being treated today, the sentiments of the whites might be true. This is because there have been several cases of blacks being prioritized in several activities. For instance, corporations offer blacks more internships and programs than whites. Although this might be true, it is important to note that privilege is earned. Therefore, the privileges blacks enjoy today might be due to their hard work.

References

Carnevale, A., Van Der Werf, M., Quinn, M., Strohl, J., & Repnikov, D. (2018). Our separate and unequal public colleges: How public colleges reinforce white racial privilege and marginalize black and Latino students. Our Separate and Unequal Public Colleges, 63.

Murdoch, A., & McAloney-Kocaman, K. (2019). Exposure to Evidence of White Privilege and Perceptions of Hardships Among White UK Residents. Race and Social Problems, 11(3), 205–211. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12552-019-09262-3

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White Privilege

White Privilege

We sometimes hear the term “White privilege” used as it relates to jobs or education.

Is there a “Black, Hispanic, Asian, or American Indian privilege” as well?