Reflection:
We had talked briefly before in class about McIntosh's theory of the white man's back pack o' privilege. When this term was first brought up in class I'm not too sure what my general reaction was. Rather, I'm not sure how I should have responded. I don't know if I was insulted, shocked, or just simply confused. As class has progressed I have had time for this term to sink in and develop a reaction. And now, after finally getting to read the article from which the term comes from, I have a better understanding of the concept.
Right away I knew that McIntosh was talking about me. I've always said that I am grateful for what I have and the opportunities I have been given and so on. Never had I attributed my fortunateness to my whiteness. My whole life I have acknowledged the fact that I have privileges but have never seen them as white privilege. According to McIntosh, the first step is to accept the fact that I have white privilege. The fact that I grew up in a predominantly white community does not make me intolerant to people of a different race, but it makes me less apt to notice that I have privilege.
We had talked briefly before in class about McIntosh's theory of the white man's back pack o' privilege. When this term was first brought up in class I'm not too sure what my general reaction was. Rather, I'm not sure how I should have responded. I don't know if I was insulted, shocked, or just simply confused. As class has progressed I have had time for this term to sink in and develop a reaction. And now, after finally getting to read the article from which the term comes from, I have a better understanding of the concept.
Right away I knew that McIntosh was talking about me. I've always said that I am grateful for what I have and the opportunities I have been given and so on. Never had I attributed my fortunateness to my whiteness. My whole life I have acknowledged the fact that I have privileges but have never seen them as white privilege. According to McIntosh, the first step is to accept the fact that I have white privilege. The fact that I grew up in a predominantly white community does not make me intolerant to people of a different race, but it makes me less apt to notice that I have privilege.
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