First off: what exactly is white privilege?
According to the Oxford Dictionary, it is the
inherent advantages possessed by a white person on the basis of their race in a society characterized by racial inequality and injustice.
In simpler terms, it refers to the benefits an individual is granted—just for being born with white-coloured skin.
Sounds familiar, right? It certainly should, having been recorded in government policy and legislation since the European colonial era. However, it wasn’t until well into the U.S. Civil Rights Movement that the term “white privilege” became widely recognized. Even then, those of European descent—unaccustomed to being defined by their race—were uncomfortable with the use of the word “white.”
Some people continue to deny that white privilege is an issue in this day and age; but though we are all striving for a world where no one is judged by the colour of their skin, these 6 ways prove we still have quite a ways to go:
#1) Beauty Standards
Right now, click open a new tab and google the word “attractive.” Without scrolling, count how many images that pop up are of non-Caucasians. It shouldn’t take too long, because the answer is obvious: zero.
This is a blatant demonstration of the misguiding belief that being white, equates being beautiful.
Perhaps this might explain the burgeoning popularity of skin-whitening cosmetics across the globe. In 2017, the skin-lightening beauty industry was reported to be worth roughly $6.5 billion. Their products, promising maximum paleness, are a staple in the daily routines of many darker-skinned individuals.
Unfortunately, most creams contain toxic chemicals that make their sale illegal in Canada. But even knowing the consequences, it’s hard to resist the temptation of products guaranteeing “whiter skin in 14 days” when you’re constantly overwhelmed by “nude” lipstick or “flesh-coloured” foundation shades too light for your skin tone.
#2) Workplace
Unfortunately, the preference for fair skin shades extends far past the cosmetics sector. A study at Villanova University found that skin tone was viewed as a better intelligence indicator than educational background. For this particular investigation on colorism, lighter-skinned black men with only bachelor’s degrees were plainly favoured over their darker-skinned counterparts with MBAs in job applications.
When examining the greater difference between white applicants and their contenders from other races during employment searches, the result is sad—but not surprising. By sending out identical fictitious resumes to over 3000 job postings, researchers at Ryerson University and U of T found that those containing Indian/Pakistani/Chinese names were 28% less likely to receive an interview compared to applicants with Western-sounding names.
Image source: https://www.yesmagazine.org/social-justice/2017/07/24/10-examples-that-prove-white-privilege-exists-in-every-aspect-imaginable/
#3) Education
Moreover, adults are not the only ones that endure discrimination due to white privilege. One US federal study found that racial inequality starts as early as preschool.
In 2015, a 12-year-old black student caused his white classmate to feel “fearful” during a staring contest. For no other reason but this, he was suspended. However, biased discipline isn’t the only concern regarding white privilege in the school system. Not even close.
On June 19, 2020, about 200 protestors gathered before the CBE headquarters in downtown Calgary. They drew attention to the lack of Black or Indigenous narratives in the school curriculum and pointed out how all of the Calgary Board of Education trustees are white.
#4) Healthcare
Even healthcare—a fundamental human right—is biased towards those with fair skin. One U.S. study surveying 7-year-old white children discovered that they believed “black children are less susceptible to pain.” This impression often persists into adulthood and may reveal why Black or Hispanic adolescents are less likely to receive pain medication in American emergency rooms.
Even if no conscious prejudice exists, people of colour are still disadvantaged in hospitals. For instance, if doctors are only trained to identify clinical signs on pale skin, they might have great difficulty recognizing inflammation or bruising on darker-skinned patients.
For minority populations, simply gaining access to hospitals presents a challenge. To illustrate, the infant mortality rates on Indigenous reserves to be double the rest of the Canadian population.
During the current COVID-19 pandemic, a disproportionate amount of fatalities in the United States were of African-American heritage. In Chicago, this number was as high as 72% of deaths. These statistics reveal the harsh truth that African-Americans regularly receive substandard medical treatment and have more pre-existing health conditions, all of which play a great factor in survival rates.
#5) Popular Culture
Perhaps the most pronounced of all is the influence of white privilege in pop culture. Will Jay captures this perfectly in his beautifully saddening song, I Can Only Write My Name:
It’s hard to see yourself in Superman when he looks nothing like you
When people of colour do make it into the spotlight, it tends to do more harm than good. Whether in superhero comics or action movies, white characters are customarily glorified as heroes while other races as cast as villains, sidekicks, or objects of sexual desire. For example, the Fantastic Four comic writer, John Byrne, rejected casting the multiracial Jessica Alba as Invisible Woman, claiming “Latino women with blond hair look like hookers to me.“
This illustrates a longstanding association of Black and Brown women’s sexuality as “wild” or “dirty.” Conversely, Asian femininity is considered “submissive.” In both cases, these stereotypes allow rampant racial fetishization and objectification in media.
#6) Legal system
When growing up, most parents teach their kids that police are here to shield them from danger—not cause it.
Many suffered a rude awakening upon watching a white cop suffocate George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for roughly 8 minutes, not seeming to care when Floyd became unresponsive. This unjust homicide sparked the largest protests in U.S. history, with demonstrators across the globe protesting police brutality and racism.
As part of the movement, Cameron Welch (@skoodupcam) shared 16 of his mother’s rules as a black American male on TikTok—one of which stated, “if you ever get pulled over, hands on the dashboard and ask could you get out your license and registration.”
This is likely due to the exaggerated connection between the black population and violent crimes, despite white supremacists being the leading cause of terrorism in the U.S.