White Privilege: Unpacking The Invisible Backpack Analysis

After some decisions made in recent court cases, society brings about the term “white privilege” quite often. Some in society say that white people may get less harsh punishments for the same criminal act than a person of color. Others in society say that their claims are untrue, leaving the question about whether white privilege is or isn’t an actuality. In the article “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack” published online at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, author Peggy McIntosh claims that white people do not acknowledge white privilege because they are taught not to notice it. In parallel, men and women’s rights differ, men will often admit women are at a disadvantage but never admit that they are at an advantage. She argues that even though white people are taught about racism, they are never taught of white privilege. White privilege is an “invisible backpack” of advantages whites have. White people don’t feel fear of going out alone, moving, or judgement, and they can be sure that when good or bad things happen to them it is not because of their race. She implies that whites have the ability to feel confident while people of color do not get to do so as freely and that …show more content…
She uses a list to write out things that whites can do without question that the African Americans could not to make the target audience visualize the privileges they have. The target audience will feel personally connected to the article because the author uses words like “ignorant” and “oblivious”. Using words that carry a negative emotion will make the target audience recognize their privilege negatively. By giving white privilege a negative connotation and ending the article in a question asking the audience what they will do with their new knowledge, she inspires the audience to want to acknowledge their