By: Ms. Henry
First of all, before I write this essay, I would like to state that I love being a black woman. I love the beautiful brownness of my skin, my hair which is a crown that has anointed me Queen of my universe, my full lips, slanted eyes, and the strength of my ancestors who have dealt with much adversity during their journeys here to America and whose blood flow proudly in my veins. But I have to admit, I wonder what it would be like to be a white female just for a day to see what it would be like to be considered Aphrodite rising from the sea, because at times it is hard being a black women in a society that is sexist and has placed women who look like me on the fringe of every ladder in American society, from economics to beauty and beyond.
White Privilege is a critical race theory I came across in college during an African American history class. I had to read an article entitled, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh and it opened my mind to some concepts I had never thought about before. According to the article, white privilege can be defined as unearned advantages enjoyed by white people beyond those commonly experienced by people of color in the same social, political, and economic spaces (nation, community, workplace, income, etc.) because they are white.
White privilege is a topic some whites do not want to talk about because in admitting they are privileged due to skin color would mean admitting that racism still exists and is not a figment of black folks’ imaginations. But I digress. It must be nice living in a world where almost every image of your kind is thought to be good and pure and I would like some of that privilege just for one day.
Just for once it would be nice to go to a job interview and not have to worry about the texture of my hair and wonder if the person I am interviewing with has a problem with afros, two-strand twists, or any other “black ethnic” hairstyles I might be wearing that day. If I were a white woman, I could toss my silky, long hair around with no problems.
Just for once, it would be nice not to be labeled an angry, bitter, black female who is filled with hatred just because I happen to have an opinion different from the common consensus. If I was a white woman, I could be uncompromisingly argumentative and be told that I am merely feisty. Black men would swim through a river of snot for me and tell me that black women are just too combative to be considered “wifey” material and that is why 40% of African American females remain unmarried. As a white woman, I would be able to date freely and not be told by my peers to lower my expectations of finding a man on my level or else die a lonely and miserable spinster with five kids with five different fathers.
Just for once, it would be nice to see someone who looks like me on a regular basis on the covers of high fashion magazines and playing the role of the leading lady in movies and television shows. As a black woman, I am constantly scolded by the media and some of my people for being too dark, too nappy, and too fat and that women who look like me will never be placed on that anointed pedestal as the standard of beauty and loveliness for American society. If I were a white woman, this problem would be null and void because I would be considered the crème de la crème.
But alas, I am a black woman and that is nothing to shirk at. The strength and tenacity of black women who can make something literally out of nothing is something to be admired rather than scorned, and I am proud to be one. I actually feel sorry for white women sitting upon that fabled pedestal because it is a lonely tour of duty filled with unrealistic and shallow expectations and most fall swiftly and hard from that same pedestal. Better to be me with all my flaws, real and imagined, than to be a paragon of impossible beauty and virtue. But I can keep it real; sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be a white woman. In my world, black women are called everything but a child of God, and for once it would be nice to be the anointed one.
If I was White, Female and Privileged for One Day,
C. Gordon
29 Mar 2011Bullshit. Let me explain to all who read, I (the white male) live in a society in which I cannot receive a scholarship from the “Black Caucus Foundation” b/c I am white, nor can one be set up for the white male. I cannot receive opportunities that my hispanic/asian/s.african/etc friends received b/c it is not available, I have been placed behind a less qualified black female for a job. I cannot produce WET (White Entertainment Television) b/c although I am not, I would be viewed as a Racist. It angers me a lot that I have been subjected to racism as a white male at my school and in the workforce.
mshenry70
29 Mar 2011To C. Gordon:
You are living in a dream world if you cannot see how privileged you are by your skin color and gender. Blacks have two funky ass television networks. The others are owned by white males. If you turned on the television, all you see is representations of White life. And by the way if you move to Texas you can go college for free as a White Male: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/26/texas-group-to-offer-coll_n_828684.html.
mshenry70
29 Mar 2011And BET is owned by Viacom, a white, male owned company.
Jhericurl Juice Jr.
31 Mar 2011I looked at all of the CBCF scholarships. Only one would disqualify you for being a white man. It is for minorities and women yet doesn’t specify a particular minority.
So did you even look at that or did you use that because it say’s black in the Foundation’s name?
So I have to ask, does it anger you that the playing field has been leveled?
Just curious.
Jhericurl Juice Jr.
29 Mar 2011MsHenry, I applaud your efforts for attempting to start the discussion on race. You must know you struck a nerve because C. Gordon started with “Bullshit” obviously, he lost a job to a person of color and it has offended him. I’m sure he feels it was an affirmative action move…because anytime a person of color takes a job its not because of their creditials its because of AA. Which always makes me laugh because white women have been the BIGGEST benefactors of AA.
White privilege is a scary idea to white folks. It humors me that he talks about the BCS when he can clearly go to all the majority colleges in the country an obtain a scholarship or even understand WHY scholarship foundations are set up like that in the first place.
To me his response tells me that you need to continue to beat the drum because many people still don’t get it.
You notice that it angers him because he feels that he’s been subjected to racism (he clearly is using the word incorrectly) at school and his workplace. Notice, it wasn’t at the DMV or house hunting or purchasing a house or buying a car or getting into an entertainment venue or….
mshenry70
29 Mar 2011I will continue to beat the drums of oppression because oppression based on skin color is real. Affirmative Action was put into place to right the wrongs of centuries of racism. It kills me when some whites complain about the few crumbs blacks have managed to lick up.
Smike
30 Mar 2011There’s definitely still racist attitudes in America. But what I’d like to have explained to me, is why Black people still lag behind in terms of income, academics, marriage rates, etc. Not every Black person is impoverished and marginalized and I’m not just talking about Barack or Oprah. America is filled with Black engineers, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and political figures who you don’t hear about as often because their stories are less glamorous and they are actually just regular people. Who is responsible for their success? The White legislators who drafted the legislation for affirmative action or the Black men and women themselves? White privilege is real and it will certainly still be around when we’re all dead. However, to simply “beat the drums of oppression” is putting the responsibility for Black liberation in White hands. If you believe that the final word on your success or failure is is spoken by White males, then you have resigned yourself to permanent marginal status because power is seldom if ever given freely. What do you think would happen if affirmative action disappeared? Would Black children get worse grades and a higher percentage of Black men leave their children’s mothers? Would Black unemployment change? The message affirmative action sends me is that White people are racist and Black people are incompetent. I’m ambivalent about affirmative action. By supporting it I support its premise, but by opposing it I’m opposing one of the only tools available to right past wrongs. This thread has two Black people and one White person in it. What race do you think I am? Does that question matter?
mshenry70
30 Mar 2011Some Black people are lazy and have no ambition. However, Black people have only had basic rights (the ability to vote freely, to be not discriminated against, equal schools, etc.) since 1965. That was only 46 years ago. How much progress can be made in 46 years after centuries of oppression? I have a Bachelor’s degree but cannot find a job. I have ambition, intelligence, and almost thirteen years of administrative support experience. What is wrong with me?
C. Gordon
30 Mar 2011For all that you can proclaim, I can give it right back to you. If you feel oppressed then I weep and pray for you. It should not be this way. I am not sure if you …were ever beaten down by a black staff sergent who was later courtmarshalled or if you grew up in the projects and had to fight everyday against different races. Perhaps we can continue to share stories. But the fact is that you have more rights than I do. I gave you examples, and now you have provided a first for me. I see that this is in one institution only; while, you could go anywhere in GA and receive the same benefits as a black woman, hispanic, asian, etc b/c those are prevelant at all of these schools. Need proof? Just ask. No white caucus foundation for me in GA. Nonetheless, I do not mean disrespect to any nationality; I just want to get my point across as well. BTW, I do see that the jacksons, opera, denzell, etc. did not let your commments keep them down. They may have had to work hard (but don’t we all)? I never complained to the world until now about the white mans issues or the stories I have witnessed and heard. So why do you wish to create this drama? Have you heard about this thing called the Holocust?… “The Holocaust, also known as The Shoah, was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews during World War II”. These people were not fighting for their rights, they were fighting for their lives. — I hope that you can see I have compassion for you and all people, but please do not make such outlandish comments. Be strong and proud of who you are and the adversity in which you have personnally overcome…. And by the way: ms henry and jhericurl juice know – I am not angered by losing a job to a less qualified person, it helped me move on to a better job where later I was able to hire the more qualified (black male) over other candidates.
mshenry70
30 Mar 2011Mr. Gordon, when I wrote this article, I was talking about the privileges that white women enjoy in American society and how they are put on a pedestal and for once I would like to be put on that pedestal. If you were offended, so be it. Have you heard of the Middle Passage? If not, let me enlighten you. The Middle Passage was the leg of the Atlantic slave trade that transported people from Africa to North America, South America and the Caribbean. It was called the Middle Passage as the slave trade was a form of Triangular trade; boats left Europe, went to Africa, then to America, and then returned to Europe.
Slave traders acquired slaves by purchasing them from numerous ports in Africa. They were able to pack nearly 300 slaves and approximately 35 crew into most slave ships. The men were normally chained together in pairs to save space — right leg to the next man’s left leg — while the women and children may have had somewhat more room. The captives were fed very small portions of corn, yams, rice, and palm oil, normally just enough to sustain them. Sometimes captives were allowed to move around during the day, but many ships kept the shackles on throughout the journey.
It is estimated that 13% of the captured slaves did not survive the journey before the 18th century. Diseases, starvation, and the length of passage were the main contributors to the death toll. Many believe that overcrowding caused this outrageously high deathrate, but amoebic dysentery and scurvy were the main problems. Additionally, outbreaks of smallpox, measles, and other diseases spread rapidly in the close-quarter compartments. Slave ships might take anywhere from one to six months to cross the Atlantic depending on the weather conditions at sea. The death rate rose steadily with the length of voyage, as the risk of dysentery increased with longer stints at sea, and the quality and amount of food and water diminished with every passing day.
Precise records are not available to provide an actual death toll, but it is estimated that as many as 8 million slaves may have perished to bring 4 million to the Caribbean islands. This number does not include the slaves brought to North or South America.
This was was our Holocaust but this type of knowledge is seldom taught in the American educational system. I do not know anything about until I went to college.
Smike
30 Mar 2011Everyone with a high school education was told what the Middle Passage was. Unless of course you went to school in the South; in which case, god help you. Mshenry70, I am in a similar circumstance as yourself. It is for this reason that I accepted a relatively low paying job and applied to graduate school. I hope your fortunes improve. These are tough times. C. Gordon, it seems you appreciate better than any of us that it is CLASS not race that is the chief deciding factor in who holds power and dignity in American society. As Malcom X said, “I believe that there will be ultimately be a clash between the oppressed and those who do the oppressing. I believe that there will be a clash between those who want freedom, justice and equality for everyone and those who want to continue the system of exploitation. I believe that there will be that kind of clash, but I don’t think it will be based on the color of the skin.” Regardless, this thread looks like the same old racial dialogue that has been the source of so much frustration in my life and I’m not interested in pursuing it any further. As long as we think in terms of group identities we will never be free as individuals. So many are so hurt and broken. I see it everywhere.
mshenry70
30 Mar 2011Smike, this article was not meant to incite racial rhetoric but discuss my feelings as a black woman who very seldom see women who look like me in the mainstream media. Someone took it upon himself to inject his feelings about race into the discussion. I agree with your premise totally. The rich people in power have pitted poor folks of all ethnicities against each other while they laugh all the way to the bank. Our educational system is broken because I did not learn anything about the Middle Passage in grade or high school. Job opportunities are scarce and regular people are frightened and angry. I
jnorice
31 Mar 2011I absolutely love this article!!!! I can also relate Ive always had that thought as well (and I do love myself I love my brown skin,hips, and all).As black women we are looked at a certain way whether its noticed or not although with white women we are still on the outside looking in it may not be as great as we think however it comes off a hell of better that how black women are portrayed in society.
mshenry70
31 Mar 2011Jnorice,
Finally!! Someone who actually understood the point I was trying to make.
jnorice
1 Apr 2011lol yes mam i did! Glad you got your point across to someone O_o
Tuo11
2 Apr 2011In my opinion, it is important that people know that the founding fathers, and the “enlightened” viewed racism as contemptible. It is ridiculous to view any issue through the prism of racism when we have established a much better prism, reason.
Mary-Margaret McSweene
2 Apr 2011Bravo. I love the scholars you cited and remember reading and discussing their work in undergrad. I am a white female and don’t pretend to understand the additional later race adds for you, but I do understand the sexism that you face. One of my favorite feminist quotes is, “If a woman told the truth about her life, the world would split open.” You’ve obviously struck a cord here. Keep going.
Smike
2 Apr 2011You are yourself. Not your demographic.
Dantez Alexander
5 Apr 2011This is a great article! Great Work!
jkam
11 Apr 2011Define privileged; you are assuming that all white females are privileged; in what way? When I read your article (which was very good by the way), I got the sense that you were comparing your existence to a white celebrity or model’s existence. I’m sure their is a greater level of tolerance and acceptance toward some white females, depending on who is doing the judging but their are many white females who were not and are not privileged, according to being granted an advantage in life. Sexism is alive and well and so is racism ( against all races) and will always be to some degree. The best thing to do is to embrace who you are as a person and contribute to ending the “victim” cyle.
mshenry70
12 Apr 2011No one is crying victim, I am merely stating a fact that is true in American society.
Smike
12 Apr 2011Does society suit anyone perfectly? If it does, do we really want to be like those people? I don’t and I don’t feel bad about this.
@Tuo where did you go to school? Was it South of the Mason/Dixon line? I bet it was. The slave owners amongst the founders weren’t racist? They owned slaves but didn’t hold any racist attitudes? I feel embarrassed for responding to you.
Trouble
20 Apr 2011All the truths we as individuals, we as people know about the world are subject to our position within it. We each have our own set of facts, and they are rarely all the same.