White Privilege

McIntosh's "White Privilege" was a reading that spoke about how white individuals do not even realize that they are stuck in an oppressive mindset because it is like second nature to them. In school all I ever learned about was the hardships other races and cultures were faced with and I always thought to myself, Why them? Why not me? But I was taught to look at everyone as equal and that no one truly had it better than anyone else. As I am growing up, I have realized that this may not always be true. Every day, I do not have to face the same things that people of another race do. Because I am white, and I have the "privilege" of being that way. This is 2015, shouldn't everyone be equal? Haven't times changed enough for people to realize that privilege may not always be a gift.

The list written in the article really hit me hard because it lists a lot of things I had NEVER even thought to think about. Bandaids? Who thinks about bandaids. "26. I can choose blemish cover or bandages in “flesh” color and have them more or less match my skin." I do now. I can not remember a time that I have been on an aisle and seen a bandaid in a different skin tone. Always light, or even see-through. I know bandaids isn't on the list of things to change for 2015, but shouldn't it start at the little things. This just really jumped out at me. 

I read something that said, "If you don't believe in white privilege then congratulations you're the one enjoying the benefits from it." After reading this article I was blindly living my life thinking we are all the same and things like this do not exist anymore. It is true, I can do things that others cannot. I can go to a mall on my own and not be in fear. Things can never change unless you are open to changing them yourself. I am not saying I am privileged and it's so great for me, I believe that people aren't doing this to be hurtful. I think that this has been going on for so long and it is what we have all been brought up wit, that it is as if we are doing it subconsciously. After reading something like this you can't help but think about all of those who do not have the advantages that you as a person may have had. This really opened my eyes and showed me that things like this have not gone away in our world.