Privilege. Let's examine privilege. Woa, such a loaded term (emphasis my own). It's been in my mind since I've been in Bangladesh and interacting within different circles of people. How do you know that you are in a position of privilege? I think in most feminist circles we all lean towards one of more of the following categories: white, wealthy, heterosexual, able-bodied, educated, middle aged, male, and I'm probably forgetting some. Just possessing one of these characteristics puts you in a position of power because it is your ticket to accessibility. And who doesn't love having access to things they want or need? The more of these categories you fall into, the more power you possess and the more things you have access to. For example most of the former Presidents of the United States of America had all of these characteristics...Can you feel the power yet?
I think most people aren't aware of their own karma given privilege. It's not something that's often discussed over coffee (unless you're part of a marginalized group book club) and truthfully I probably wouldn't be aware of my own beautiful privilege had I not taken a Sociology of Womyn course (yes, womyn. Take the class you'll understand why) during my junior year of college. It absolutely pains me that it took me so long to get "it", but once I did, the whole view of my world changed. This is where my father would interject with some comment about me and my feminist mumbo jumbo but please see our categories above and note that my dad fits into all of them. My hero...
So the reason I'm tackling this loaded topic at all is because whiteness and wealth consistently pop up in Bangladesh. For example, I've been told that, like many other cultures, lighter skin is a desirable trait in the Bengali culture, I guess it is a sign of wealth. They even sell whitening creams (much like our tanning creams) so that they can get their skin whiter. It's just comical to me that so many white people are trying to be tan while so many tan people are trying to be white. No one is ever happy...but the commercials are pretty good.
Continuing with whiteness... you'll never be more aware of your own whiteness than when you are in a country where white is the minority color. People stare at our cohort of predominately white interns like we are the Royal Family of England. On occasion, people take pictures of us simply because we are a pack of white people and they don't get to see white people that often. I think it's important to note that simply because we are a minority in this country, we have not lost any of our privilege that comes with being white. Immediately upon arrival, regardless of what your actual income looks like, you get put into the "Foreigner" category which actually just means rich. I mean it makes since when you watch TV here. They love to throw around images of the wealth, prosperity, and happiness experienced by lighter skinned and white people. I think there's also a lot of misinformation being spread about foreign people because hey not everyone gets an education in this country and the people who get the best education have to pay a pretty penny for it. Given, a person's perception of wealth is all relative but I haven't become angry with anyone for making judgments based on my skin color.
So in this country, I have access to all the upscale coffee shops and restaurants (it helps that the exchange rate is super good) and people role out the red carpet for my arrival. Granted, Bangladeshi people are hospitable by nature but still, I'm not used to this. This meaning being so aware of my own white privilege. I could go down the white guilt road, but there's nothing worse than a white person feeling bad about having it so good. When you are in the armpit of the world, it is shocking to realize how good you have it back in the States. I know that, although I am currently uncomfortable, sweaty, and sick of being stared at (after only a week, mind you), I will be getting on a plane in a few weeks and I have no obligation to return sans moral imperative. I like the idea of acknowledging your own privilege especially when it's so blatantly obvious. It doesn't excuse that your better off because of it but it makes you that much more aware of what you say and how you act. It also makes you super cool in my book, just saying. I guess thus far, it's been quite a humbling experience and I probably acquired some new knowledge and perspective whether I was trying to or not. Can I count this towards my master's degree? I just made myself laugh out loud or LOL, if you will.
I think most people aren't aware of their own karma given privilege. It's not something that's often discussed over coffee (unless you're part of a marginalized group book club) and truthfully I probably wouldn't be aware of my own beautiful privilege had I not taken a Sociology of Womyn course (yes, womyn. Take the class you'll understand why) during my junior year of college. It absolutely pains me that it took me so long to get "it", but once I did, the whole view of my world changed. This is where my father would interject with some comment about me and my feminist mumbo jumbo but please see our categories above and note that my dad fits into all of them. My hero...
So the reason I'm tackling this loaded topic at all is because whiteness and wealth consistently pop up in Bangladesh. For example, I've been told that, like many other cultures, lighter skin is a desirable trait in the Bengali culture, I guess it is a sign of wealth. They even sell whitening creams (much like our tanning creams) so that they can get their skin whiter. It's just comical to me that so many white people are trying to be tan while so many tan people are trying to be white. No one is ever happy...but the commercials are pretty good.
Continuing with whiteness... you'll never be more aware of your own whiteness than when you are in a country where white is the minority color. People stare at our cohort of predominately white interns like we are the Royal Family of England. On occasion, people take pictures of us simply because we are a pack of white people and they don't get to see white people that often. I think it's important to note that simply because we are a minority in this country, we have not lost any of our privilege that comes with being white. Immediately upon arrival, regardless of what your actual income looks like, you get put into the "Foreigner" category which actually just means rich. I mean it makes since when you watch TV here. They love to throw around images of the wealth, prosperity, and happiness experienced by lighter skinned and white people. I think there's also a lot of misinformation being spread about foreign people because hey not everyone gets an education in this country and the people who get the best education have to pay a pretty penny for it. Given, a person's perception of wealth is all relative but I haven't become angry with anyone for making judgments based on my skin color.
So in this country, I have access to all the upscale coffee shops and restaurants (it helps that the exchange rate is super good) and people role out the red carpet for my arrival. Granted, Bangladeshi people are hospitable by nature but still, I'm not used to this. This meaning being so aware of my own white privilege. I could go down the white guilt road, but there's nothing worse than a white person feeling bad about having it so good. When you are in the armpit of the world, it is shocking to realize how good you have it back in the States. I know that, although I am currently uncomfortable, sweaty, and sick of being stared at (after only a week, mind you), I will be getting on a plane in a few weeks and I have no obligation to return sans moral imperative. I like the idea of acknowledging your own privilege especially when it's so blatantly obvious. It doesn't excuse that your better off because of it but it makes you that much more aware of what you say and how you act. It also makes you super cool in my book, just saying. I guess thus far, it's been quite a humbling experience and I probably acquired some new knowledge and perspective whether I was trying to or not. Can I count this towards my master's degree? I just made myself laugh out loud or LOL, if you will.
Interesting read...I enjoy learning what you learn. Write more!
ReplyDeleteI will say, though, that I respectfully disagree with this point: "I could go down the white guilt road, but there's nothing worse than a white person feeling bad about having it so good."
For me, this goes hand in hand with what you said later: "I like the idea of acknowledging your own privilege especially when it's so blatantly obvious."
I guess what I'm getting at is that I agree that it is important to examine privilege because it is though this examination that can identify and attempt to rectify inequities. Sometimes, guilt is a natural reaction to this. It's normal to think, "WTF, I'm viewed as better because I'm lighter? It's not like I *did* anything to deserve that!"
But the critical next step is to actually challenge the power structures.
So white (male, straight, etc) guilt isn't in and of itself evil. What I would actually say there is "nothing worse than" is...
1) People who acknowledge their privilege and think, "Damn it feels good to be a straight, white, wealthy, heterosexual, able bodied male."
OR
2) Privileged people who never examine their privilege and honestly think they've gotten everything they've ever had through their own "hard work."
My 2 cents :D