Michele Engel
Jul 10, 2017 · 2 min read

“Because you are white you should have an easier time being successful”

I think your definition of white privilege is flawed for a couple of reasons. The first is that “successful” is an imprecise word. Success means different things to different people. And the second is that privilege is relative.

For example, while it may be statistically correct to say that, on a raw number scale, there are more white people living in poverty than there are people of color living in poverty, that is incorrect on a per capita scale.

Similarly, the proportion of African American men and women in prison is much higher than that of white men and women on a per capita scale.

To me, the “amount” of privilege I have in this country boils down to how likely am I, as a white middle class woman with a university bachelors degree, to be treated the way a black middle class woman is treated in this country. And the fact of the matter is that I can go places — personally and professionally — with greater assurance and expectation of being accepted and, yes, even admired for my capabilities than a middle class woman of color who is very much like me. SHE is more vulnerable in this society due to the color of her skin. And that is why she has less privilege. Even if she has more money than I do, in fact, she still has less privilege. Because if and when the day comes to put all people of color in concentration camps, no matter what I do, I won’t be one of those victims unless I CHOOSE to be.

When the Nazis rounded up the Jews, non-Jewish spouses had a choice. Period. End of sentence.

    Michele Engel

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