Making Systems of Privilege Visible was an interesting piece on privilege and what the author likes to call “ism”. Her main focus of “ism” was predominately racism though she did touch upon sexism in the article. According to this article, the relationship between education and privilege is that education is a privilege that is granted to teach privilege. If you use the classic example of white males, it is assumed that if you are a white male you will go to school and that depending on your economic status you will either go into a trade or on to college to pursue a higher career such as a doctor, lawyer, or even an architect. In current society this ideal seems to still hold true, but the reality can be quite different. I remember a sociology paper I wrote a few years back that dealt with reality and aspirations. Growing up my life seemed to mimic the TV show Roseanne, but my ideal family that I wanted to grow up in was The Cosby’s. Since we are discussing race and privilege, I think it is fair to say that I am white, the Roseanne show was white, and my ideal was a The Cosby’s who were a black family. (On a side note: I do understand that the politically correct term is African-American, but unless you came from Africa and immigrate to America and became a citizen, than my personal belief is that you are a black/brown American and not African-American because there are white Africans.) The ideals set for my by The Cosby’s show has helped me to shape the type of life I one day hope to have and how I would like to raise my children.
As the author alluded to the idea of privilege and race seem to go along because of societal support. She stated on page 109, “First calling someone a racist individualize the behavior and veils the fact that racism can occur only where it is culturally, socially, and legally supported. It lays the blame on the individual rather than the systemic forces that have shaped that individual and his or her society.” To my understanding, she appears to be saying that as a society we need to recognize that the privilege of one color skin versus the other should be mute, but despite change it is still a criterion that we use just like we use gender and sexual orientation. She stated on page 111 that “The privileged characteristic is the norm; those who stand outside are the aberrant or ‘alternative.’” I can relate this to neither my race nor gender but to my weight. Having been heavy all of my life has caused me to be outside of the norm. The teasing, lack of friends, and inability to do some of the same activities as my peers because I would become too winded, forced me to become introverted and it has taken several years to become more extroverted. Insecurities still linger despite best efforts to except myself and body image. I will never be a supermodel.
It is funny how we take for granted certain privileges when white, but then again aren’t there certain privileges that other races can take for granted? I found that the author seemed to lose focus that other races can be just as racist? Who knows maybe one day I will be the one who is sitting in the back of the bus and having signs saying No Whites allowed. For me personally, I agree with a friend of mine who said, “I belong to the Human race. Which race do you belong to?”
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