Topic 6 DQ 2
Read “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by McIntosh. Which principles
discussed by McIntosh surprised you most? List at least three and discuss how
these may influence you?
The three things that surprised me in this article were that white people in society
have many privileges in everyday life. For example, according to Mclntosn(1990)
she had done nothing to deserve privileges. Mrs. Mclntosn’s skin color benefits her
in whatever she wants to do. Things like decide where to buy a house, her children
receive curricular materials according to her race, and use clothing from thrift store
without discrimination of been poor. In simpler terms, white person has many
benefits that is hidden in the society that we live. A society where racism is
prevalent. Then it generates many advantages and privileges for white people that
they even realized that they have. Another thing is that privileges are never absent
from the life of whites. Whites’ privilege could be found in daily transitions from
professional to personal areas with relative ease. To demonstrate, “white skin…
opens many door for white” (Mclntosn, 1990, para.19). That been said that there
will be an unearned privileges that is available for white people such as good jobs
opportunities, privileges to attend top of schools, or buy houses. Furthermore, the
author placed a great emphases that she has more privileges for been white than
her African American coworkers (Mclntosn, 1990). This principal surprised me
because I came from Brazilian culture where everyone is treated equally. However,
in our society people can be discriminated by color, which make the African
American in disadvantage in the society that we live in. After reading these
principles, they helped me to increase my awareness of racial discrimination that
has happened in the society that I live in, so my perception changed. If white
people have a lot of privileges, black people might be treated less fairly in general
aspect.
Reference
McIntosh, P. (1990). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible
knapsack. Independent School, 49(2), 31.
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