white privilege. any thoughts? see details....?

Question

i had a sociology class that was taught by a female of spanish-american heritage. she expounded on white privilege for 2 class periods. she told the class that whites have this and will probably never have any reason in their lives to feel discrimination. i know at various times i have felt discrimination (for being female, blonde, a vegetarian, a single mom, etc.) no matter which instance i brought up in my class my teacher dismissed it as something other than discrimination. it still kinda gets under my skin that she was so biased and seemingly unwilling to accept the idea that there could be a chance that whites could feel discrimination. any input or experiences would be interesting. always looking for another point of view. thanks.

Answer 1

I have witnessed discrimination against all of your profile types. I was even turned down for some jobs because they found out i was a single mother. most people would never admit to discriminating against single mothers but they do. As for your teacher, she sounds absolutely clueless about whats really going on in the world. Being a woman of color and have friends of all colors of the rainbow I know that people discriminate each other everyday whether they are black, white, pink, or purple.

Answer 2

She may have meant racial discrimination. Sometimes when I was younger I did feel that way that white people don't feel racial discrimination because when I go into a store I get followed the entire time or they never acknowledge that I'm there. There has been an instances where my cousin who is white will walk in after me and they speak and ask her if she needs help. But your teacher shouldn't have said that because as I got older I have realized that everyone deals with it at one time or another. That's her own ignorance she can't speak for a entire group of people who's shoes she's never walk in. You shouldn't let her get to you, just speak up for yourself let your opinion be known and make sure she hears you.

Answer 3

More than likely it was white guilt, in the form of affirmative action, that this person was even hired for her job.

As far as discrimination you've had to encounter as a white female, I'm sure you'll be well compensated for being single, white and female. Just apply for a federal or state job, you won't even have to score high on the civil service test. You too qualify for affimative action.

Now for a group that NEVER gets discriminated against..it's the white male. They NEVER get hassled in work places (just look at ALL corporate discrimination/harassment films, they are always the harassers) As a registered nurse who went to nursing school with female instructors going through marital problems and divorces I can personally testify that ALL of us men were treated like GOLD from these bitter women. We all got a free pass like we do on OPRAH!

Answer 4

It does not sound like you have been discriminated against for being white.

Examples.

I go into a store and I'm being followed by a clerk...WHY?

I'm driving my dads BMW and I get pulled over because they're suspicious the car is stolen...WHY?

My brother walks down the street and women move away and clutch their purses...WHY?

These things happen EVERYDAY!!!! its only because I am BLACK. I know what sexual discrimination is. I know when I'm being looked down on for being a single mom (being black doesn't help...its almost expected even though I'm single because my white husband decided he'd rather *** other women then take care of his family).

Read the post about blacks on this site. there IS a difference. Whtes in America have never been slaves, have never lost jobs because they are white, the Law never took your land because you were white, you have never been in fear of voting because you were white. You aren't taught whites are savages and barbarians like black have, cartoon have never racially stereotyped you like Dick Tracey did with the Japenese and Mexicans.

Do some real history and you will understand where your instructor was coming from.

Answer 5

As long as there are races there will always be problems until the end. Everyone has problems from other races no matter where they live. Even the teacher was prejidice from what it sounds like. It is just another way of saying I can't trust God and get anywhere with my life so I'll just oppress someone else and blame it on them. Any time you point the finger at others to define your own problems you miss your need and it becomes larger than it was.

Answer 6

She's a retard and a loser. If you take into consideration the many different forms and possible ways to be discriminated against, we are discriminated against just as much as any other culture.She was right, that in a discussion of RACIAL discrimination, your examples are irrelevant as they hold true for all races. Back to your question though (I'm assuming you live in America), every other race on this planet feels they get to look down their noses at us for A) The undeniable success we have achieved as a race B) The atrocities committed by our great, great, great grandfathers. But sorry, neither of these things rightfully give any one in this day and age ammunition to be bigoted against us as a race because A) We as Americans have made this country into one that provides vast opportunity for ALL who are willing to work their @$$e$$ off for it. B) Every race lives in an America that provides a racial atmosphere that let's everyone rejoice in their ethnicity in freedom as they please. When looking for the source of harship AND the source of success in our daily lives as well as our history, each culure, each person, need look no further than the mirror.

Answer 7

I thinks it's interesting that your Spanish-American teacher asked this question. First of all, people of Spanish descent are of white descent. The exceptions are those who are mixed with Arab or Moorish blood through invasions of the Iberian penninsula. Even in Mexico there is race division between those of "pure" Spanish blood and those mixed with Indians. It is most common for those Mexicans that we regard as being illegals to be mixed or totally Indian.

Secondly, you're either an American or you're not. We are either a united country or not. I have never used a hyphen. I am an American. You're teacher is either an American or a Spaniard, and she should declare herself as such.

I'm with you...I have felt discrimination as well. I have been denied benefits because I was a white, single male--even though I grew up on welfare with government cheese and the rest of it.

Answer 8

The instances that you've experienced were forms of discrimination, bias and prejudices. Your instructor was honing in on by the very fact of your skin color/tone, that laws and other forms of injustice and mistreated were in place against that.

I don't think that most white people will have to contend with because they are asian, latin, black, native american, etc. that jobs, schools, housing, and other resources will not be as readily availble to them.

Trust me when I wake up in the morning, I'm just glad that I'm alive and functional. It is not until I exit my door and recognize the "looks" am I brought back to the crazy reality that others are reacting to my melanin.

Answer 9

Your teacher doesn't sound too educated. People of all races experience discrimination, and she herself showed herself to be a potential racist by making the comments she did. That was very ignorant. I'm a white person who has lived in Detroit for 30+ years and I beg to differ with her.

Answer 10

I had asked a question ...stating do you believe every nationaliy no matter what race you are is discriminated and I received a lot of angry replies !I do believe you can be no matter what nationality.Even your teacher showed she had a form of this ...Tyra banks actually did a show on this and people from all backgrounds shared this experience ...Depedning on your social enviromane your in you might feel it more than other times