Explain Being White

Nobody has the power to decide their skin color, yet skin color is a feature that gives either an advantage or a disadvantage to that person. White skin privilege is a transparent preference for whiteness that pervades in our society. White privilege provides white people with advantages that they do not earn and that people of color cannot benefit of. Also, white privilege shapes the world we live in. Society is framed into a white superiority order in where interactions with one another and how we navigate through life is shaped around whiteness. White people usually do not see or are aware that they are benefiting from white privilege, but if they are aware of white privilege a few that do not want to accept that they do benefit.

 Most white individuals do not experience what a person of color lives through in the daily basis. For example, Kathie and Chris do not think about their race and do not really come across any situations that make them think about their race. This shows the opposite of what minorities live through in the daily basis. Minority groups more often than not come across situations where they have to experience injustice and discrimination because of their race. However, there are certain individuals, like Andrea, who are white that believe that do not receive the "white benefits" because of her choice of style. Even if a person that is white but have tattoos, like Andrea, are still benefiting from being white even if she is treated different for choosing a different fashion style. She still gets the wealth her parents have accumulated over time, being able to not think about race in the daily basis, and not getting singled out.

Also, most white people believe that they have gotten far to where they are because they have worked hard unlike those people who blame others and take advantage of programs such as affirmative action. Individuals like Jason, Ronald, Scott, Kathie, Harold, and Robert believe that they are where they are because they have worked hard and that minority groups are still were they are because they don't work as hard as they do and if they progress is because they take advantage of affirmative action. Working hard does not mean that one will get out of poverty or achieve success. One can work hard all their life and still barely be able to pay the rent.

Believes such as "color means nothing to me" (Michael), "it's like always walking on eggshells" (Claudia), "They [black men] scare me" (Deanna) perpetuate racism and discrimination which keeps the cycle going. Furthermore, this examples show that there many white individuals with these ideas, that ironically, do not see that they themselves do not receive these treatments because they are white. They believe that they do not benefit from white privilege yet they are not treated as they treat other racial groups. White privilege is not benefits that necessarily handout white people capital, but to be able to live their lives without worry of being discriminated, judge based on race, face racism, or be affected by negative stereotypes. Regardless of any fashion style or believes, a person who is white will benefit from white privilege.