White Privilege by Peggy McIntosh: Week 5

White Privilege

By Peggy McIntosh

"Flawed Male Race" : Quotes

" I have often noticed men's unwillingness to grant that they are overprivileged, even though they may grant that women are disadvantaged. They may say they will work to women's status, in the society,the university, or the curriculum, but they can't or won't support the idea of lessening men's."

I find it discouraging that after all women have accomplished in the sense of having rights, such as earning the right to vote, holding a strong positions in politics and especially the ability to work outside the home if you desire to. Despite all of that we put seen as inferior to men simply because men are too pigheaded to give up some this privilege. The idea of sharing that we learn in school at a young age seems to wither away which can be found very sickening for many women including myself. For example women are paid $37,791 while men are paid $49,398 this pervious year stated by Catalyst.org, which researches the working world.  Men are paid $11607 dollars more. Why? Is it because they work more efficiently or are better at thinking at moments notice? Men and women are equally intelligent so men and women should be paid by how hard they work instead by their gender.

"As we in women's studies work to reveal male privilege and ask men to give up some of their power, so one who writes about having white privilege must ask, having described it, what will i do to lessen or end it?'

In some way this comment can be seen as stereotypical because not all men are like this. it is the name that men automatically acquire. In some cases, men are ignorant to the power they have. Men might only see "privilege" in the form of racism because it puts colored people at a disadvantage allowing white men an advantage over them. McIntosh hits home as she states that whites are taught not to see privilege in ways that they create the problem. Men are given a "backpack" according to McIntosh that has exceptions and rules that work to the benefit of the people with privilege. Our world is not meant to be free to only certain kinds of groups, it is meant to provide a voice for all who lives here. 

The world "privilege" seems to be very misleading. It means a grant to an individual under certain conditions. However the statement about privilege seems to continue the pattern of confusion. "Whites are taught to think of their lives as morally neutral, normative, and average, and also ideal, so that when we work to benefit others, this is seen as work that will allow them to be more like "us." 

Our future generations never know how to truly treat someone with respect, to be kind instead of changing these people to be more like someone else. Everyone is meant to be different, such as skin color or their language they speak for a reason. We do not come from the same background so what decides for us that we all should conform to this idea of normative and average. Normal can be seen in many ways because not everyone holds the same opinions as everyone else. Despite the diversity, the word privilege needs to be seen in the sole light it holds.

Voices and Silences: Language is Power : Week 4

Aria

By: Richard Rodriguez

In this story, Richard faces a difficulty in school, specifically with language. The first language he learned was Spanish but the nuns were determined to force him to learn English since this school believed in bilingual education.  I believe the way the nuns tackled the situation was not exactly the best, every student is different in the way they comprehend material in class and how it is taught. His brother and sisters took to it much more easily than he did but that is completely find because everyone learns at different rates of time.

 It was easy to see that Richard was not a fan of learning English even though its important to know this language. Despite that i do not agree with the nuns actions. They seemed very forceful as one nun said, "Richard stand up. Don't look at the floor speak up. Speak to the entire class, not just me!" The nuns never asked how Richard felt, he stated to himself that "without question it would have pleased me to hear my teacher address me in Spanish when i entered the classroom. I would have felt much less afraid. I would have responded with ease." This type of teacher student relationship does not work well as i can say i have been in this kind of situation a couple of times before.

They are very uncomfortable and gives a harsh environment to attempt to learn in. 

My first encounter occurred  in fourth grade. My teacher  had began a new unit in math class, which was computing long division. The idea of working with numbers terrified me already since my dyslexia loomed over me significantly at that time. We first learned one way to understand this concept, i found it very difficult to find the answers which caused anxiety to arise. My mom became very worried so my teacher had my aid and i work on this together in a separate room. During this time my aid had asked me why i was having so much trouble, i simply said that i did not understand this specific approach. As a result she showed me another way to solve this type of problem and by the end of our time together a light bulb inside went off. I was overjoyed and so proud of myself. 

The next day i had stayed in the class during math. I did my math assignment using the new approach and i did not think anything of it until my teacher gave me such a hard time as she noticed i did not use her way to solve the problems. I was almost to pieces by the time i went home. My teacher was being unfair just as the nuns had been when they went to Richard's house to speak to his parents. They said that English should improved upon in the house but in the kind of tone that meant you should never use your spanish language around them anymore. Its a lot to ask children to forget a part of them because each part is important. Richards language is part of his culture. While in my position my learning style could not be altered because its how i adapt to learning since i cope with a disability. My mom had gone  into school to give my teacher a piece of her mind. I had to learn to what was expected of me but what my teacher could not see was the fact that in many cases some ways are not always best for everyone's learning style. Overtime it improved, and she showed us the way i liked as a way that was okay to use in class.

Comments:

We are made different for a purpose so if we learn differently that is not a problem, its a part of what makes us different.

"I am a part of a school of fish where i comprehend material differently but it is all about seeing each other eye to eye or fin to fin."

symbol, Yin Yang represents the ancient Chinese concept of how things work together. The white shape known as Yin and the black shape known as Yang symbolizes the interaction of these two energies.  This can be related to the poem, For the white person who wants to be my friend because it is analyzing the friendship of a black person and a white person. The black person would stand for the Yang because this person loves listening to music by Aretha Franklin while the Yin is seen as the white person who might like Aretha Franklin simply because the other person does. Yang attempts to show the importance of having your own opinion versus how to be a real friend. To like Aretha's music because you enjoy not because the other person likes it.


Sena, Taty. Beholders.org. 2009. Web. July 5.

Think Piece
Week 4: Naming Social Structure
Quotes

For the white person who wants to be my friend

By Pat Parker

1) “The first thing you do is to forget that I am black. Second, you must never forget that I am black.”

My color of my skin is only a small part me, I made of many other traits, such as my outgoing personality. The activities I enjoy doing after school, the clubs I am apart of at school. However remember my culture is different since I came from another part of the world so the way I grow up maybe different from yours. It does not mean that is bad but simply opposite from yours. For example, how I speak to my parents and siblings at home might be very blunt and explicit versus the way the implied language I use at school when I speak during class.

2) “You should be able to dig Aretha but don’t play her every time I come over.”

Respect my love of Aretha Franklin music but do not love it because I do. Try to see her talent. However like the kind music you enjoy listening to, do not just like it because I like it. If you like the Beach Boys thats fine. Be yourself because we are entitled to our own opinions.  I can like older music such as Aretha as well as artists that come to fame during our lifetime such as Katy Perry. 

3) “Eat soul food if you liked it, but don’t expect me to locate your restaurants or cook it for you.”

You should not expect that all black people love soul food or know all of the soul food restaurants because do not stereotype that since I am black I would have all of the answers. I may like to eat Italian food and Chinese food.  I might enjoy soul food, despite that no matter the background we come from all of us need exposure to other cultures. We grow up into a diverse world, we should not be shocked by it instead we should be able to embrace it.

Hey everyone from FNED, this is Emma H!
I am originally from Stonington, Connecticut. I am the youngest of 3.  I love baking with my mom. I have also been dancing for 12 years.