Confessions of Light Privilege

I am currently reading a book about White Privilege and this entry is just a few of my thoughts as I process the concepts in the book. (Part 3, chapter 4)

Perhaps, it is a bit late to disclose this but I wanted to address my expectations about reading this book. I expected to be bored. In my arrogance, I thought, “What could this book teach me about White privilege that I don’t know through experience, other than some historical facts.”

However, I expected my White colleagues in the class to lower their defenses, role-up their sleeves and do the tough emotional work and allow the book to transform their views about privilege. After reading part 1, I thought why don’t I expect the same from myself? I began to think deeper about the concepts introduced in this book and tried to think of ways I could adapt them to areas of privilege in my own life. I, too, should role up my sleeves and do the tough emotional work to transform my own ideas about the areas of privilege I possess.

I believe that we are all privileged and oppressed in some way or another. Over the years, it has been very easy for me to recognize personal areas of oppression. In fact, I have allowed so much of the oppression to shape my identity and reality. I have not considered taking the time to explore the other parts of that reality--which are my areas of privilege. I do not deny the discrimination and oppression I experienced, however, I have not given thought to the ways in which I am member of oppressive groups.

I claim to believe in justice. If I really believe this, I MUST confront my own prejudices and areas of privilege. I must do the hard work. The work means: critical self examination, acknowledging my areas of privilege, identifying my contributions as part of system in an oppressive group, and have the courage to work toward justice.

With all of this, it provides a point of reference for how I analyzed the rest of these chapters. In chapter four, I made a connection between white privilege and what I call “light privilege.” Being a lighter-skinned minority has afforded me an edge over my darker-skinned minority counter parts. I too have discounted the discrimination of darker-skinned folks. Unfortunately, I have said things like, “they [who ever the darker skinned person was at the time] just need to know how to navigate the white man’s system” or “they need to know how to play the game.” There are times that I recall when I gave little validation to the fact that their darker skin made life harder for them. I thought we’re all Blacks but some of us don’t know how to “play the game.”

Thinking back on many situations in my life, I was the “first” friend, girlfriend, employee, etc in the lives of many Whites that I knew. My assumption now is that my mixed ethnic heritage and lighter skin made me more palatable to many whites. Being palatable allowed those whites who were “on the fence” to give me chance or access. I carry much of that dismal attitude within my own interracial discrimination. All I can do now is to be conscious of this and work to do better and believe others when they tell me that their darker skin makes a difference. This is my confession of “light privilege.”