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Terms: White Privilege, White Supremacy, Womanism
White Privilege
Phonetic Pronunciation: wyt priv-uh-lij
Definition:
White privilege is defined as privileges or advantages that white individuals have in a social, academic, political, and/or economic setting, based solely on them being white. The term gained prominence after Peggy McIntosh’s essay that revealed numerous privileges white individuals have on a daily basis.
History:
The term "white privilege" was first documented in the early 20th century. In 1935, W.E.B. Du Bois, an American sociologist, made references to a concept called “public and psychological wage.” Du Bois referred to the benefits that were given to white workers. Then, in 1988, the term “white privilege” was widely used by Peggy McIntosh, an American feminist and anti-racism activist, in her groundbreaking essay “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” which listed 50 examples of the privileges of being white.
Current Usage:
Since the publication of McIntosh’s essay, the term “white privilege” has been largely used in anti-racism protests and activism, critical race theory, and intersectional feminism. Although the exact term was not used previously, the idea has been prevalent. Before 1964, the term generally referred to legal and systemic benefits that white people received, including the right to vote, citizenship, and the right to purchase a house in any neighborhood.
Examples:
A situational example of white privilege is statistically, if a black male drives a luxury car, there are greater chances that the police will stop the individual and question them about their vehicle than if a white male is driving. A sentence example is: “It is a white privilege to not be scared of violence from a police encounter.”
Perspectives:
The idea of white privilege can be traced back to European colonialism and imperialism,wherein white individuals received more benefits for simply being white. One concept that can be linked to white privilege is “white centering.” White centering refers to prioritizing white people and their experiences, norms, and ideas as the ultimate and most important perspective across social, cultural, academic, and institutional contexts. White centering thus reinforces white privilege.
Critics of the term white privilege argue that certain aspects of privilege are disregarded. For instance, concepts such as class or ethnicity within white populations are often oversimplified or completely ignored. However, white privilege can intersect with other forms of oppression and privilege like class, sex, and/or gender. With this in mind, the current definition of white privilege includes more nuanced experiences, and does not take validity away from the struggles faced by other demographics.
Sources:
What Is White Privilege, Really?
'White privilege' is a racist, divisive term: Guest opinion
Whiteness is an invented concept that has been used as a tool of oppression
Resources:
Film – 13th by Ava DuVernay
Film – 12 Years a Slave by Steve McQueen
My white friend asked me to explain white privilege, so I decided to be honest
Opinion | What is white privilege?
White Supremacy
Definition:
White supremacy is defined as white superiority. When we think of white supremacy, we think of neo nazis or klu klux clan. However, it runs much deeper than that. Supremacy implies a power relationship. Colonization has resulted in a deeply ingrained view of white supremacy even by those who are not aware of this view. It exists at the institutional level in every facet of our society. The media, government, business, education, justice systems, health care, employment, and housing are all built on the basis of white supremacy. No one is exempt from its effects. The first step to changing a system is acknowledging it exists.
“What can you do?
“Start to notice whiteness in your world What images do you see everyday?
How does whiteness affect your relationships in your home, in your community, in your workplaces?”” Selam Debs
Sources:
Resources:
Fundamentals, Core Concepts, System of White Supremacy and White Privilege
What is White Supremacy? | SOA Watch: Close the School of the Americas
Womanism
Definition:
“Womanism is a term used to refer to feminists of color, more specifically Black feminists. Womanism centers the experiences, contributions and efforts of Black feminists to better the world around them for all of humanity, not just themselves. Womanists speak to the injustices faced by Black women, men, children and families and frequently fight against these injustices by leading, participating in or supporting various social justice movements.” Marcia Walker-McWilliams, Executive Director, Black Metropolis Research Consortium