White privilege... really? In schools??!

[stellenbosch]

To quote Bastille, 'the world's gone mad' ...

This poster isn’t saying allwhite people are privileged. They are saying they are more privileged than non white person. And yes, a white Jewish person is more privileged than a non white person.

It can be seen as that Palava, I totally disagree that all white people have benefit from white priviledge, certainly if you are in a position of power of authority, not all white people are. I got a good degree, I like that think I earned it, because I worked hard which I did. I am a community worker, with people who have learning disabilities, not very influential or powerful. Probably the people above me, the managers, team leaders, directors of the various departments within the council.

You don’t need to be in a position of power to benefit from white privilege

I totally disagree, how about meritocracy, people working hard to earn their grades or position.

Sprinkles

On the basis of what are you making these assertions? Do you think all white people have a privileged position over all non-white people?

White privilege isn’t about individuals at all. How can it be?

Its insulting, its like blaming white people for their position or grades or whatever. There are many factors that influence privilege, not just colour: money, colour, sex, disability, social class. To blame one factor is very wrong. You may get a black child, from a rich home, who has much more opportunity and priviledge than a black child from a poor home. They can pay for public school, tutors, access to the best education and universities, whereas a poor child does not.

But that’s not what it’s about.

I though male privilege was fairly widely understood? It’s no different. Of course you still get unsuccessful, poor men

lass the white woman is a local MP. The poster is one in a series by BC politicians explaining what racism and privilege mean to them. It's actually a copy of a similar campaign that was very successful in Saskatoon.

Oh sorry, and to answer your 2nd point, there's a Truth and Reconciliation commission that's been set up by Trudeau's government. That's looking at the Nationwide problem. This poster campaign is for a small school district of 1100 students, not the whole country

Yes but just bevause there are many different types of privilege does not mean we should not recognise white privilege is one of them. There are many factors and I agree with that, you can’t point out one factor as deciding someone’s life. Someone who is black does not have white privilege, but if they are not lgb then they do have the privilege that comes with being straight for example. But the fact that they have other privileges does not undermine or exclude the racism they still have to face. We should be aware of the intersectionality of privilege, which is a big point in intersectional feminism and in most social justice movements today after all, but that doesn’t mean denying that out of many factors which may give privilege, race and whiteness is one of them.

Privilege is intersectional. It interacts with other types of privilege and takes nothing away from how hard you may have worked or what you may have earned, but influences your starting point.

Say it's a race. You're a white, poor female. You're racing against a white, disabled, rich male; a black poor female; an able-bodied white middle-class man; a disabled, white lesbian woman. Your starting position on the line is determined by your privilege.

If you're female, take a step back. If you're any race other than white, take a step back. If you're disabled, take a step back. If you're working class or poor, take a step back. If you're gay, take a step back.

You've taken two steps back. The white, middle-class man hasn't moved. The low-income black woman has taken three steps back. The disabled man has taken one step back. The disabled lesbian woman has taken three steps back.

It doesn't matter who wins the race; it doesn't matter if you know a poor black woman who is actually a champion sprinter or if the rich white man trips and sprains his ankle. The privilege is your starting position. It takes nothing away from your own struggles and your own achievements to acknowledge that other people start further back than you do.

(apologies for the simplistic, rushed analogy but this thread is like banging your head against a wall)

Absolutely, YassQueen.

Exactly yassqueen. There is a video illustrating exactly that race doing the LinkedIn rounds but I can’t link

yass you highlighted perfectly, what I was trying to explain

If you're female, take a step back. If you're any race other than white, take a step back. If you're disabled, take a step back. If you're working class or poor, take a step back. If you're gay, take a step back

I wonder how many 'groups' could be identified in that analogy.

It probably also goes for the race you are entering. Certainly in some races, you could take a gigantic step back, have your legs tied together and not even be told when it's started.

Or simply not even be told about the race.
Or not allowed to enter the race.

Or only hear about the race from people who have already won the race so they know when it's started.

etc etc

“Certainly in some races, you could take a gigantic step back, have your legs tied together and not even be told when it's started.”

That’s the English ruling classes right there!

YassQueen - so in your ideal world, every single person should be measuring up their privilege/victimhood index against everyone they meet, all the time. If you score low, you can blame the people above you for your failings. If you score high, then you don't deserve your successes, and your unworthiness should be publicly denounced acknowledged.

What a hateful, invidious world to have to live in - you can keep it!

I think you’re being too literal there whalesofyore. It’s about awareness

Just "awareness", eh? Well then we're now fully aware of this utter nonsense and can expect it to have no further effect on public policy, right? Right?

Or maybe the aim goes beyond mere "awareness" after all?

If you score high, then you don't deserve your successes, and your unworthiness should be publicl

DS has the privilege of going to a good school. Maybe it's the area we live in that helps.

A child like DS could go to a school in different area that comes with its own disadvantages. So that child may not do as well as another child in a different school - not because of their ability but because of circumstances.

The child who goes to that good school deserves their success. But they may well have had an easier route to that success than a child of the same ability who went to a school where there were issues.

WhalesofYore- that really is complete and utter bollocks.But only to be expected from someone who appears to think that white men are a disadvantaged group!