I was very surprised and ultimately amazed as to how Lorde, McIntosh and Miles’s articles directly related to two of my other classes. Ultimately, what I noticed in the three articles was this idea that each person is composed of many different characteristics.
I admit that like the majority of women, I too I am at fault for ignoring differences within our society (Lorde). When one group is being oppressed it is very easy to gather together as a group and fight that oppression. However, as Miles points out in her article On the Rag, just because a group of people shares one specific characteristic does not necessarily mean that they share others. For example, Miles points out that The Rag was formed by a group of women who waned to create “the only feminist journal on the Harvard-Radcliffe campus” (Miles 173). However, this journal eventually discontinued as a result of conflicts within the group. Miles points out that “racial and class conflicts” led to the demise of the journal. What this article shows that even though people may have a similar characteristic with another person that does not necessary mean that they share similar experiences in their lives.
This idea is something that I have recently discussed in my Native American-Museum Studies class. We recently discussed the idea of how people group minorities together based on one characteristic. Specifically, we discussed how mainstream America, the white middle class, groups all Native Americans together. However, just because they share the same ethnicity does not mean that they share the same way of life. First off, there are over 200 federally recognized Native American tribes within the US. Then, once Native Americans have been separated by clan, Native Americans can be further stratified by gender, class, occupation etc. Ultimately, what my class came to discover was the idea that people of a certain minority, whether that be based on gender or ethnicity, are grouped into one category and people assume that they share the same experiences. However, what people forget is that other forces like class and race affects a person’s way of life.
“I think whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege” (McIntosh 1). When it comes to race, McIntosh’s article White Privilege attacks today’s issue of racism. She states that “oppression is unconsciousness.” People do not realize that others are being oppressed because there are no visible signs or acts. The idea of racism today is very different than that of the 1950s and 1960s. “In my class and place, I did not see myself as a racist because I was taught to recognize racism only in individual acts of meanness by members of my group, never in invisible systems conferring unsought racial dominance on my group from birth” (McIntosh 6). I agree with McIntosh on this issue. If I speak with my mouth full, I have never thought that people think I do this act as a result of my race. Thus, after reading these articles, as well as, reading the Collins articles for my Black Communities class, I have realized that women experience oppression in very different ways. Just because there is an advancement for women does not necessarily mean that all women experience it in the same way, or in that case get to experience the achievement at all. Race, class and gender play a role in how people live their lives. Just because two people are both women does not necessarily mean that they live and are treated in the same manner.
In my Race and Education class, we learned about the “Shadow of a doubt” and how it applies to people of color. Perpetuating white privilege and stereotypes, the shadow of a doubt hangs over anyone of color. It is a process/way of internalizing the stereotypes the dominant class (white people) project on the minorities. Therefore, even if there is no real judgment going on—the cycles of racism have become so ingrained in us—people of color start judging themselves. In a conscious effort to try to blend in, people of color start being overly critical of their actions and start wondering if others are judging them based on their race. This cycle of doubting themselves and being somewhat paranoid that they need to do a good job representing their race leads them to second guess many simple actions that many white people take for granted.
ReplyDeleteMany people may have trouble understanding what this feels like… which Peggy McIntosh defines as white privilege. White people have the privilege of not feeling the need to second guess their actions. They do not have to wonder if what they will do will misrepresent their entire race. McIntosh’s list of privileges she is aware of daily boil down to one simple thing: if you are not conscious of your race, then you are benefiting from white privilege.
It is interesting to apply this concept of privilege to gender. I believe the concept fits in nicely with women in the work force. As we discussed in class the other day, women are often negatively portrayed in for having traits that are seen as normal/natural for men to possess. When a man is in a tight situation at work, he just needs to consider what the best is for the company. However, the same issues are rarely as simple for women. On top of figuring out what is best for the company, women are also aware of personal sacrifices their decision will make for them. For example, if some sort of project needs to be redone in an advertising company or something, a man would have no trouble telling his team to redo it, but a woman has a much higher chance of being called a “bitch” or “perfectionist” (with a negative connotation) for doing the exact same thing. Thus, the “shadow of a doubt” concept is not limited to issues of race. The same paranoia plagues females across our culture.
Like Caren and Katrina, I have taken courses previously that have explored the idea of white privilege, but the list of ways that white privilege manifests itself in everyday life outlined by Peggy McIntosh really made it hit home. I feel like when privilege is discussed in an academic setting, we try to convince ourselves that on an individual level that we try to not outwardly exercise this privilege that we subconsciously know exists. We think that because we don’t make racist comments or are friends with people of color that we’re addressing the inequality sufficiently. I know that I can’t speak for everyone, but through my experience and discussion of the issue in other contexts I do know that there are many who fixate on what they individually do to combat intolerance and use it as sort of a shield to separate themselves from those who are outwardly racist. Now don’t get me wrong, I fully believe that people should regularly hold themselves accountable for 1) not exercising their own privilege and 2) not putting others down because of race consciously. However, what McIntosh’s article emphasizes, something that I think relates back to Johnson’s article on the system of patriarchy, is that a lot of manifestations of white privilege and discrimination of others due to color is not conscious. As shown by McIntosh’s list of examples, a lot of the privilege is imparted upon white people by others. So, just as Johnson explained that people do not have a choice in participating in patriarchal culture, I think it is just as logical to say that white people (or people of any race for that matter) do not have a choice in participating in a culture that stratifies by race.
ReplyDeleteHi Kirstin, Katrina, and Caren,
ReplyDeleteFantastic thoughts on today's readings; I especially appreciate all of the connections you made between these readings and topics you've discussed in your other classes. The "shadow of a doubt" concept is potentially a helpful one for thinking through privilege. Let's be sure to bring it up in class today!