What is White Privilege?

Before we get into the definitions section of this topic, we must establish why white privilege exist today. White privilege is a direct result of “historic, enduring racism and biases” (Collins). The racialization of certain groups of people (which is “based on perceived physical differences, such as skin tone”), “fueled biases and became a tool for justifying the cruel treatment and discrimination of non-white people” (Collins). White people—even the ones who did not overtly participate in racism against non-whites—“learned biases” and “led many to commit one of the most powerful actions: silence” (Collins). In this topic we will lay out what is and what isn’t white privilege, so you will be able to identify white privilege in the future. 

What Isn’t White Privilege?

When people say, “white privilege,” the term is usually met with a lot of resistance, as it is very direct and targets a specific group of people. “The word white creates discomfort among those who are not used to being defined or described by their race” (Collins). The second aspect is privilege, which “for poor and rural white people, sounds like a word that doesn’t belong to them” (Collins). If Person A says that Person B has privilege, Person B tends to become defensive as they believe that Person A is suggesting that “they have never struggled,” even though that isn’t the case (Collins). And when Person B becomes defensive, the conversation strays away from its true purpose which was helping someone recognize that in some aspects of their life they are in a better position than others of a different race.

So, to clear up any confusion or misunderstanding of what white privilege actually means, we will start by saying what it is not.

1. White privilege is not “the suggestion that white people have never struggled” (Collins). Things like poverty and homelessness do affect white people. Everyone struggles at some point in their life; that is not dependent on race. We do not deny that fact. 
2. White privilege is not “the assumption that everything a white person has accomplished is unearned” (Collins). We understand that most white people have worked hard to get to where they are in life and no doubt.

What Is White Privilege?

So, now that we have cleared that up, let’s actually define what white privilege really is. 

“[W]hite privilege should be viewed as a built-in advantage, separate from one’s level of income or effort”

Collins

Francis E. Kendall, an author who specializes in issues of diversity and white privilege, defines while privilege as such: white privilege is “having greater access to power and resources than people of color [in the same situation] do” (Collins). White privilege refers to “systemic advantages given to white people,” and includes the psychological aspect which is “white people’s lack of awareness that they…[hold] this power” (Collins). In the past and present racialized groups have identified that white privilege also has to do with the “aftereffects of conscious choices” (Collins).

Example: If a workplace hired more white people than black people, white people had more opportunities to succeed.

Over time, these institutions that primarily hired/favoured white people have continued to stay mostly white organizations. Ultimately, white privilege “is both unconsciously enjoyed and consciously perpetuated” (Collins).