Examining White Privilege: Real or Imagined?

1 Examining White Privilege: Real or Imagined?

White privilege is a real phenomenon. White people are insulated from the stress of racism because they are a privileged race, particularly in American society. White fragility and one’s white identity are related to white privilege in various ways that elevate whiteness over other racial groups (DiAngelo, 2011). White fragility arises due to white people's feeling of superiority and misunderstanding of the challenges the other racial groups face due to racism.

For instance, a white person may act defensively when a discussion about racial discrimination of African-Americans emerges (Wise, 2020). The defensiveness is triggered by a sense of a privileged race, which should not be seen in the same wavelength as blacks.

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2 Consequences of White Privilege White privileges have caused racial hatred between whites and African Americans because the latter sees itself as marginalized. The privileged group continues to further its superior position at the expense of the underprivileged, creating bad blood between the two (DiAngelo, 2011). Therefore, there is a mutual feeling of suspicion between whites and blacks because of the existence of white privilege.

Racial discrimination of African Americans is born out of white privilege, which creates superior and inferior racial groups. White police officers are more likely to stop and search a person of African descent than a white person (DiAngelo, 2011). The white race is considered privileged, less likely to engage in crime, while the African American is considered a potential criminal by virtue of being colored. In essence, white privilege has led to racial discrimination of those believed to be from the unprivileged race.

Moreover, white privilege has also blurred most white people's ability to understand what racism is and how it impacts victims. White people learn about the underlying effects of racism when they are subjected to courses or policies on racism in school or at the workplace (DiAngelo, 2011). This means that they are largely blind to issues of racism in society. White privilege makes it hard for a white person to understand things such as structural racism. As a consequence, white privilege is a catalyst for racism in society.

White privilege makes life hard for people of African origin, especially those who have to compete for opportunities with white people on a daily basis. Employment and promotion at the workplace favor the whites over the blacks. This also affects the salaries that employees are paid. Black people are primarily found in low-paying jobs (DiAngelo, 2011). Consequently,

3 African Americans have to deal with obstacles that white privilege created in their competition for opportunities.

White people cultivate their identity by emphasizing segregation, racial arrogance, universalism and individualism, and racial comfort, which later support white privilege. The white people find it ideal not to associate with people of color, which restricts them from interrace marriages, social ties, and general socialization to maintain the purity of whiteness (DiAngelo, 2011). The white also tends to show superiority over other races by using harsh whites against them.

White privilege and its effects can be solved by encouraging white people to embrace people from other racial groups as equals. Equality between races is the most effective way of diffusing white privilege and managing racism (DiAngelo, 2011). People tend to treat each other with equal respect when they learn that they are all equal, regardless of their racial background.

4 References DiAngelo, R. (2011). White Fragility. International Journal of Critical Pedagogy, Vol 3 (3) (2011) pp 54-70.

Wise, T. (2020). This is Your Nation on White Privilege. Student notes.