Unpacking the knapsack

As you might expect, the MSW program at UC includes a plethora of courses exploring the dynamic impact of race, class, and gender on human development in society. We spend a lot of time talking about how our individual positions affect the whole. What you might not expect, though, is how some of these conversations play out in the classroom. Not every MSW student is a bleeding heart liberal; not every student is even quite sure about the existence of racism, sexism, classism, able-ism, etc. in our country. Because some students have never experienced the '-isms' in their personal lives, they are quick to claim that they no longer exist:

"If racism exists, it isn't nearly as bad as it used to be. We have a Black president, after all! African-Americans have made tons of progress."

"Women can do anything they want now. They have the right to vote and they can get to upper levels in the workplace if they just work hard enough."

"If they would just get up and get a job they wouldn't be poor. If I can do it, they can!"

And on and on.

These statements reveal a position of privilege. People in the majority group (typically white, male, wealthy, able-bodied, heterosexual, etc.) don't consciously think about the experiences of minority groups because they don't have to. The majority has a series of advantages in society simply because of how they happened to be born. Some of these advantages are explored in the classic text, "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack," in which Peggy McIntosh, a white woman, explores the ways she has benefited because of her race. By acknowledging such unearned privileges, McIntosh confronts the root of oppression in our society:

"For me white privilege has turned out to be an elusive and fugitive subject. The pressure to avoid it is great, for in facing it I must give up the myth of meritocracy. If these things are true, this is not such a free country; one’s life is not what one makes it; many doors open for certain people through no virtues of their own."

Whether we like it or not, all of us are affected by certain unearned privileges. While we may not actively discriminate against others, when we do not acknowledge our privileges, we oppress minority groups by perpetuating the myth that success in society is based on merit alone, thus discounting the minority experience in America.

If you aren't familiar with Peggy McIntosh's work, I'd encourage you to check it out. Dr. Kathy McMahon-Klosterman and Dr. Jean Lynch (my mentors/professors in my undergraduate career) introduced me to her work several years ago and forever changed the way I thought about myself and the world. This article was assigned for my class tonight, and I have enjoyed revisiting it now with a different perspective. I remember the first time I read it I felt defensive; I wanted Peggy McIntosh's observations to be wrong, because if they weren't I would actually have to confront racism in our society and do something about it. I could no longer sit back and think racism was someone else's problem.

We can not be afraid to confront such privileges in our lives--instead, we must take a critical look at our experience and use our knowledge to lift up others. By recognizing our own privilege, we can identify where others are not privileged and use our power to make a change. It isn't painless and it certainly isn't easy--after all, subjects of privilege, racism, and discrimination rarely are--but it's an important piece in promoting the equality and progress of our society as a whole. For me it's a continual process, and I hope it is for you too!