Is white privilege real? To what extent?

[paulpablo]

[Seraphina]

Maybe white privilege is real. To what extent though? Who knows?
It's a reductive way of viewing society.

There are no biological races - race is a social construct.
What about someone who considers themselves Latino or black but they pass as white. Do they have white privilege?
Do people who are known as (the highly derogatory term) white trash enjoy white privilege too?

Wealth and class are far bigger issues and confer way more privilege but the powers that be want us to fight each other on race issues to distract us and keep us from picking up our torches and pitchforks and getting rid of our elite overlords.

[Homeless Nutter]

[...]
Also if you're going to start adding the word privilege to adjectives there's a long long list of them.

Female, male, tall, short, attractive, clever, rich.

Lol... What? Name one way in which short people are privileged? One.

Sure - tall, attractive, intelligent and rich people ARE privileged and do receive special treatment in our society, even if they themselves did nothing to gain them, because those attributes appeal to our base instincts. It sucks and if - for example - bosses are caught discriminating against sexually unattractive employees (when the job itself doesn't require good looks) - they  should be held accountable. What of it?

[SteelCurtain]

I'm sorry, but the irony in your conclusions about white privilege is palpable.

I cannot speak for England, but in America, as a black person, you have no clue what you're talking about. While I object to Buzzfeed's use of the word 'never' in most of those memes, a lot of their examples are spot on.

By and large, white people do not have to deal with a lot of the systemic injustices that are a part of everyday life for people of color. Some of the things you said were "Not True. Without a doubt" are absolutely credible examples of white privilege.

The fact that regularly people act surprised at how well spoken I am, or that white people dressed with the exact same clothing (hoodies, baggy jeans, certain natural hairstyles) will be labelled stylish when a black person would be labelled a thug, the worry (not the prospect that it will never happen, but the consistent, constant concern) that any contact with police could be your last or could end up in imprisonment or violence, or that if you wear your hair the way it naturally grows out you might not get a job or might be pigeonholed into a cultural meme are all examples of white privilege.

None of these things never happen to white people. It's not that only black people have to deal with these things. It's that what you don't or won't recognize is that these little things are part of everyday life for black people and other people of color. Every day. There are other factors at play, sure. There's economic/class privilege that plays a lot into it.

The most telling aspect is that black people are saying, "hey--pay attention, you guys by and large don't have to deal with this crap all the time." And a lot of white people are seriously just dismissing this out of hand, like "no you don't" or "it's not that bad, get over it." This is the most invasive type of privilege.

[BrokenQuill92]

I'm sorry, but the irony in your conclusions about white privilege is palpable.

I cannot speak for England, but in America, as a black person, you have no clue what you're talking about. While I object to Buzzfeed's use of the word 'never' in most of those memes, a lot of their examples are spot on.

By and large, white people do not have to deal with a lot of the systemic injustices that are a part of everyday life for people of color. Some of the things you said were "Not True. Without a doubt" are absolutely credible examples of white privilege.

The fact that regularly people act surprised at how well spoken I am, or that white people dressed with the exact same clothing (hoodies, baggy jeans, certain natural hairstyles) will be labelled stylish when a black person would be labelled a thug, the worry (not the prospect that it will never happen, but the consistent, constant concern) that any contact with police could be your last or could end up in imprisonment or violence, or that if you wear your hair the way it naturally grows out you might not get a job or might be pigeonholed into a cultural meme are all examples of white privilege.

None of these things never happen to white people. It's not that only black people have to deal with these things. It's that what you don't or won't recognize is that these little things are part of everyday life for black people and other people of color. Every day. There are other factors at play, sure. There's economic/class privilege that plays a lot into it.

The most telling aspect is that black people are saying, "hey--pay attention, you guys by and large don't have to deal with this crap all the time." And a lot of white people are seriously just dismissing this out of hand, like "no you don't" or "it's not that bad, get over it." This is the most invasive type of privilege.

This^^^ all of this. Not to mention you must maintain strict emotional control, and sometimes subject yourself to white peoples rude and invasive attitudes or be labeled "angry".

[BrokenQuill92]

[...]
Also if you're going to start adding the word privilege to adjectives there's a long long list of them.

Female, male, tall, short, attractive, clever, rich.

Lol... What? Name one way in which short people are privileged? One.

Sure - tall, attractive, intelligent and rich people ARE privileged and do receive special treatment in our society, even if they themselves did nothing to gain them, because those attributes appeal to our base instincts. It sucks and if - for example - bosses are caught discriminating against sexually unattractive employees (when the job itself doesn't require good looks) - they  should be held accountable. What of it?

Short women are VERY privileged. My gender is never questioned. I'm always considered plenty feminine. No has ever felt uncomfortable with me wearing heels. No has ever turned me down for a date because "it would look weird". And clothes for tall women are a real struggle. As are stylish shoes.

[The Valkyrie]

I'm trying to make Beccs Privilege a thing.

Does that count?

[Homeless Nutter]

Short women are VERY privileged. My gender is never questioned. I'm always considered plenty feminine. No has ever felt uncomfortable with me wearing heels. No has ever turned me down for a date because "it would look weird". And clothes for tall women are a real struggle. As are stylish shoes.

I suppose. But is it the short women, that are better off, or the ones of about average height? Because quite frankly - I imagine women, who are much below average are not considered particularly attractive, even if they don't have it as bad as "short-ass" men, or "freakishly" tall women.

[account_inactive]

Not in the UK. But I can't speak for the US.

[BrokenQuill92]

Short women are VERY privileged. My gender is never questioned. I'm always considered plenty feminine. No has ever felt uncomfortable with me wearing heels. No has ever turned me down for a date because "it would look weird". And clothes for tall women are a real struggle. As are stylish shoes.

I suppose. But is it the short women, that are better off, or the ones of about average height? Because quite frankly - I imagine women, who are much below average are not considered particularly attractive, even if they don't have it as bad as "short-ass" men, or "freakishly" tall women.

Actually as long as you're proportionate and have some curves to speak of the men or/and women will line up. It's usually only flat AND short women that are down on their luck. And I'm far from flat.