Why are people so damn offended when you point out their privilege? To most people who aren’t ‘woke’ or conventionally educated on the climate of social issues being faced by those who aren’t white, rich, and/or wealthy; calling out their privilege is a blatant statement that often translates to the conclusion that they didn’t “work hard” to “earn” all the things they have. It doesn’t mean you should feel guilty for being white, but it does come with the opportunity to be a voice for those who are being silenced.
If you don’t understand privilege, redirect yourself to this incredible article that breaks down privilege so you can critically think about how this world actually works.
As a white person (who cringes as I write that statement) and who has certainly been called on her privilege multiple times, I am familiar with the realization that something you’ve said or had at a given point in time has come from a place of privilege. I am lucky to have been born white, to live where I live and to have had the opportunities to go to the school I attend. I will never have to face the obstacles that people of color will have to deal with in their lifetimes, and because of the society we live in, this all gives me an advantage. Even knowing this, I am still learning and my first reaction to being called out in the past has been to feel angry, firstly at society because it is not my fault that I was born white and reap all of the benefits that come with my skin color. However, it is my fault if I don’t use my voice to help those whose voices have been systematically silenced. Secondly, I feel angry at my own ignorance because it is my job to know better, to continually educate myself and others. But feeling angry does not help anyone, and the best thing to do when you are called on your privilege is to reflect and reevaluate. As white people, we will NEVER know what it is like to be a person of color. We will never know what they face every day, and we have no right to speak on the oppression we will never experience.
If someone calls you out, it is not a personal attack. It is a small act of education, that you should take a step back and check yourself.
On my Facebook page (where all my most intellectual exchanges occur), I shared a post that outlined what it is to have privilege, specifically the privilege that white men have in our patriarchal society. Of course, the people most offended by my post in the comments section were, you guessed it, white guys. Some argued that everything they have achieved in their life is because they worked hard for it and that if only people ‘worked hard’ they can have what they want, too. If such an ignorant statement were true, maybe black people would own a far less disproportionate amount of wealth in the United States compared to white people. Newsflash: Most people are not poor because they don’t work hard. This problem is far more complex and multifaceted than the ill-informed and prejudiced conclusion that people of a certain race or ethnicity are poor because they have no work ethic.
Sadly, because of our society where white men hold most government positions and most executive positions, they could have the most influential voices if they recognized their privilege and started speaking on behalf of those who don’t have the advantages they have. All white people can do something good for the world, simply by recognizing that they have white privilege. Maybe then, issues like police brutality and other manifestations of systemic racism will be recognized by all people no matter their political party.
If you are called on your privilege, be glad. It is an opportunity to learn from someone else. In the wise words of Kendrick Lamar, “Sit down, be humble”.
