Facing White Privilege
It's not lost on me that the very title of this blog, "Taking a Deeper Breath," is a privileged stance. In my White body, I can reasonably aspire to breathe more deeply. Deeper breathing is a valuable tool for lowering anxiety, boosting mood and immunity, and building resilience. I did not think about that as a privileged option when I chose the title back in March.
Now I cannot ignore the reality: Black bodies cannot breathe more deeply when they are carrying the legacy of 401 years of slavery on their shoulders, including disproportionately higher rates of illness and death from COVID-19. Black bodies would struggle to breathe more deeply when they have to carry the trauma of past brutality and the legitimate fear of violence at any time. How could Black bodies breathe more deeply with a White knee on their neck? At best, it would be almost impossible to breathe at all.
Fear and anxiety make it harder for any body to breathe. That Black bodies in this country must live in a constant state of fear and anxiety is a truth we cannot just push away. The other side of that truth is White privilege. We cannot turn away from that reality, either.
I have heard some say that they're White but not privileged, pointing to hardships or adversities of their own. So two things to remember about privilege: it may be relative, but it's real. It may be true that someone in a White body has had an impoverished or tragic life, but those very same adversities would be magnified if that same person were in a Black body.
And privilege is real. It is not something chosen or sought; one might even consciously try to disavow one's privilege, but that's impossible. Our system is designed to "privilege" -- to prioritize -- White bodies over Black bodies. If that's a hard concept for you to understand or accept, take a look at this article about crayons, bandages, and other products. "Flesh-Colored"
In 1989 Peggy McIntosh wrote about the "invisible knapsack" of white privilege. You can find the article here: Invisible Knapsack Be sure to take your time with the 26-item list of privileges she identifies in the knapsack. The last item on the list is bandages.
We who are non-Black did not create the system of White privilege. But finding it abhorrent does not absolve us. Unless we actively work to identify and dismantle it, we are complicit in helping it to fester and grow. We can take a first step by educating ourselves, our families, and our White circles. Then we must take action. Over and over and over again, for as long as it takes to overcome this corrupt legacy. It's part of the long overdue work of undoing systemic racism in our country.
I don't claim any expertise or achievement in challenging White privilege and racism, individual or systemic. I was born to racism. That's my White body legacy. My innate sense of privilege comes out in any number of ways, including in the naming of this blog. I am only one person who happened to be born in a White body and is trying to help make this country and this world a better place for all. I believe that we can make it possible for all to take a deeper breath.
Love,
Nancie/Mom/Mimi/Grandma
Now I cannot ignore the reality: Black bodies cannot breathe more deeply when they are carrying the legacy of 401 years of slavery on their shoulders, including disproportionately higher rates of illness and death from COVID-19. Black bodies would struggle to breathe more deeply when they have to carry the trauma of past brutality and the legitimate fear of violence at any time. How could Black bodies breathe more deeply with a White knee on their neck? At best, it would be almost impossible to breathe at all.
Fear and anxiety make it harder for any body to breathe. That Black bodies in this country must live in a constant state of fear and anxiety is a truth we cannot just push away. The other side of that truth is White privilege. We cannot turn away from that reality, either.
I have heard some say that they're White but not privileged, pointing to hardships or adversities of their own. So two things to remember about privilege: it may be relative, but it's real. It may be true that someone in a White body has had an impoverished or tragic life, but those very same adversities would be magnified if that same person were in a Black body.
And privilege is real. It is not something chosen or sought; one might even consciously try to disavow one's privilege, but that's impossible. Our system is designed to "privilege" -- to prioritize -- White bodies over Black bodies. If that's a hard concept for you to understand or accept, take a look at this article about crayons, bandages, and other products. "Flesh-Colored"
In 1989 Peggy McIntosh wrote about the "invisible knapsack" of white privilege. You can find the article here: Invisible Knapsack Be sure to take your time with the 26-item list of privileges she identifies in the knapsack. The last item on the list is bandages.
We who are non-Black did not create the system of White privilege. But finding it abhorrent does not absolve us. Unless we actively work to identify and dismantle it, we are complicit in helping it to fester and grow. We can take a first step by educating ourselves, our families, and our White circles. Then we must take action. Over and over and over again, for as long as it takes to overcome this corrupt legacy. It's part of the long overdue work of undoing systemic racism in our country.
I don't claim any expertise or achievement in challenging White privilege and racism, individual or systemic. I was born to racism. That's my White body legacy. My innate sense of privilege comes out in any number of ways, including in the naming of this blog. I am only one person who happened to be born in a White body and is trying to help make this country and this world a better place for all. I believe that we can make it possible for all to take a deeper breath.
Love,
Nancie/Mom/Mimi/Grandma
Comments