On The Mindy Project’s new episode entitled “Mindy Lahiri Is A White Man”, Mindy drops several truth bombs about white male privilege. The episode begins with Mindy and her stereotypical country, intolerant co-worker both competing for a job. Mindy is more qualified than her co-worker but he gets a second interview and she doesn’t. No surprise there considering that Mindy is a female POC and the interviewers were a panel of sexist old white men. An upset Mindy goes to sleep wishing she was a white man and wakes up Dr. Lancaster, a privileged white male.
As the episode continues Mindy uses her newfound privilege to for all it’s worth. She hails cabs with the flick of her fingers, gets treated with the utmost respect from her co-workers and patients, automatically is elevated to the status of charming, gets applauded for doing the most basic things, and yes, gets the job. As it turns out, Dr. Lancaster knows the interviewers and is automatically handed the job without even a glance at his qualifications.
This episode explores the very real notion that white men have it easier than everyone else because, in the words of Mindy Lahiri/Dr. Lancaster,
“All of culture is designed to entertain and delight me.”
The episode also ends with Dr. Lancaster coming to the realization that privileged white men are apathetic because everything is so simple for them and they automatically assume it that simple for everyone else too. Not realizing or not caring about the advantages they possess from just being born with fair skin and a dangling sex organ.
All in all, this episode is a must watch for anyone who wants to laugh instead of cry at the society’s androcentrism. And if, perhaps, you’re one of the sad many who does not think white privilege exists.
