 White privilege. What? What is white privilege? Before we discuss it, let's talk about how people respond to it. Some people dismiss it. Others become upset. White individuals may respond by saying, hey, that's not me. I don't have privilege just because I'm white. Others might say, heck yeah, white privilege exists. The fact is that there has been systematic rights and unearned privileges that groups of people have enjoyed, such as the rights and privileges through Jim Crow laws. Starting in 1890 and lasting until the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, separate but equal enforced segregation. Of course, not much was equal. Inequality existed in facilities like public bathrooms or schools, with those facilities for non-whites being inferior in quality. At the same time, bank loans and housing practices also contributed. For example, with the help of the Federal Housing Administration, areas of cities were mapped to indicate which areas were denied or approved housing loans. Those that were deemed the highest risk and often denied loans were inner city areas populated by African Americans. This practice was called redlining, and over time taught people how to perceive and feel about people based on the color of their skin. There are still lasting effects of those privileges today. So, while a person who identifies as white may not feel that they have privileges based on the color of their skin, white individuals today benefit from a system that perpetuated inequality long before their time. So, now that we know what it's hard to discuss, what is white privilege? This is a term that has been widely discussed in the 20th century and became popular in academic circles when Peggy McIntosh wrote her article on male and white privilege in 1988. In this article, McIntosh discusses the concept of white privilege and lists 46 different ways that she benefits from being white. According to McIntosh, she has come to see white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets that I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was meant to remain oblivious. White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, assurances, tools, maps, guides, code books, passports, visas, clothes, compass, emergency gear, and blank checks. If a person is not white, these unearned privileges cannot be counted on. Among her examples are instances such as stepping up in a challenging situation and not having to be a credit to her race or being pretty certain that her skin color will be fairly close to the color of a flesh-colored bandaid. Recent research shows that white privilege may be a hard pill to swallow for those that identify as white. A study at Stanford University shows that white individuals cite personal hardships to help maintain a positive image of themselves and perhaps to enjoy the material benefits associated with that privilege. In other words, white individuals do not see how they may benefit from society socially constructing race. I know that as a white individual. When I walk down a street and someone does not say hi to me, I don't have to wonder if it's because of the color of my skin, or I know that when I'm buying items such as soap or shampoo at a big box store that there will be a full aisle of products to meet any of my skin and hair needs. And while anyone's life may have hardships, I don't wonder if my hardships are compounded by the color of my skin. So, what is your response to white privilege? If you identify as white, do you dismiss it as a socially constructed reality, stating you don't experience any benefits or privileges? Do you feel angry? And what if you don't identify as white? Do you dismiss white privilege? Are there ways society is set up to benefit or harm people based on the color of their skin? And what are the lasting effects of systems that intentionally, by law, benefited or punished people based on their skin color?