My open letter to Sheryl Sandberg

Dear Sheryl,

I watched your TEDTalk and I can agree that on the surface, it is very inspiring. Telling everyone (especially women) that if you work hard enough and “lean in” enough, you can achieve anything! Well Sheryl, I don’t think you realize but your white privilege is showing. Because I don’t think you are taking into account many things about our society, like the fact that the most underpaid people in the workforce are women. And no matter how hard they may “lean in”, work harder than anyone else and for less pay, work longer hours, etc. Many women, especially women of color, have already been doing these things for years and it isn’t having the same effect on their lives because they aren’t allowed the same opportunities as you.

Some people struggle their entire lives just to survive and for whatever reason you are not recognizing these women/people. You basically ignore that women don’t get the same opportunities across the board and puts the burden back on them by saying “You aren’t doing it right or working hard enough” which isn’t true.

Change needs to happen from the very depths of society, none of this surface stuff, that’s how we will be equal and have equal opportunity. But ultimately, though I feel white privilege is the cause of this ignorance I don’t think we need to hate race, like Mohanty says. We need to focus our angst towards higher-class, rich women who don’t understand the class privilege embedded in their success, like you Sheryl. So please don’t feel bad because you're white. Feel bad because you're rich AND white. Feel bad because you assume that in life everyone is dealt the same hand. And then stop feeling bad and be the change, use your place in the spotlight to bring attention to these issues. Like Canaan says, the civil rights movement became the human rights movement,and you can also create that kind of awareness with your power. Rise above your day to day luxuries and privileges and realize that you are only further perpetuating this unfair treatment of women. And also realize, though you may have it better than most, you are a woman yourself and have experienced bias or discrimination because of it, even if you haven’t realized it. Like Crenshaw discusses, you are also an intersectional person, not just white and successful but also a woman. Reach deep down and try to understand where I am coming from when I say that you are being blinded by your privilege and it is hurting women.

And hopefully, though you had the best intentions, you can now understand me now when I say “get a clue” while watching your TEDTalk.

Think about it,

Samantha Bartz