White Privilege Essay

As part of my ongoing quest to understand the intersectional and multi-faceted world we live in, I was drawn to the McIntosh reading “White Privilege:Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” and its powerful commentary on racial biases affecting women in our modern world. I loved the way she spoke about the many simple things that she as a white person doesn’t need to worry about as a default, which non-white people wouldn’t,like the assumption that her tax audits would be executed fairly and without ludicrous scrutiny.This reading inspired me to venture out into my home town and look for an event that spoke to the same issues.I found myself in a small art gallery which was featuring various pieces by indigenous women. The exhibit had a particular focus on the

Her piece “Thunderbird of Courage” inspired me to think about the spiritual aspect of racism. I pondered about how religion can be so dividing between people,and how I sometimes assume my own faith system is inherently better or more valid than others just because mine is the one our European-Western society likes best. I considered a line from the reading again: “I could think of myself as belonging in major ways,and of making social systems work for me.” I have always inherently assumed that my set of core values and beliefs must simply be right and better than every other set because society has always reinforced my ideas.I went to a Catholic grade school and high school,a Catholic church,and a Christian youth group, so every facet of my life was telling me that my views are right,period.However, as I looked at this gorgeous painting of a mighty bird sheltering people under its wings,I did not see an angel of God. Instead,I saw someone else’s idea of what a divine protector might look