The social construct of white privilege suggests that those of white skin colour are subject to economic and social advantages of which coloured individuals are devoid. Ultimately, it is an ethnocentric belief that white skin is at the top of the racial hierarchy. Arguably, white privilege in the United States has undergone a paradigm shift, as explicit discrimination of coloured individuals has evolved to become secretive, with many who possess the advantage taking it for granted or are in denial of its existence (Anderson et.al. 2012:30). To illustrate, a recent court case involving a lesbian woman by the name of Jennifer Cramblett, who, with her partner, had filed a law-suite against a Chicago-based sperm bank for artificially inseminating
…show more content…
Moreover, according to Anderson et.al. there is solidarity among whites to oppose outsiders “considered unworthy” and to share a “working conception of race,” causing a community of whites to subscribe to “racist or ethnocentric ideas,” normalizing white supremacy. With regards to the article, Cramblett bearing a child that deviates from the norm of her community and subsequently leads to her feeling anguish and frustration over this abnormality suggests that the idea of white supremacy is largely an issue of conformity and a fear of alienation. In her interview, Cramblett also states that she has no problem raising a biracial child (Clifton 2014), which is ironic since the undertones of her two-year postponed law-suit show frustration towards having a child that is racially deviant. In essence, Cramblett demonstrates her obliviousness towards her advantage, which she has now been stripped of by forcing to interact with coloured individuals. Furthermore, although she may be “attuned to the realities of racial inequality”, she struggles to comprehend her role in the racial caste system and the “ways in which the disadvantages of others are closely and directly tied to her own structural advantages” (Hartmann et.al. 2012: 407). In contrast, racial minorities witness to this privilege operate in a “defensive mode” to avoid behaviour that may trigger racist treatment and willingly acknowledge their place in the racial caste system to “retain as much of their self-respect as possible” (Anderson et.al. 2009: 37). Moreover, many who have this privilege believe it to be an anti-white movement/term, contrary to coloured individuals in America who, from a witness perspective, perceive it to be intentional acts of discrimination
Moreover, according to Anderson et.al. there is solidarity among whites to oppose outsiders “considered unworthy” and to share a “working conception of race,” causing a community of whites to subscribe to “racist or ethnocentric ideas,” normalizing white supremacy. With regards to the article, Cramblett bearing a child that deviates from the norm of her community and subsequently leads to her feeling anguish and frustration over this abnormality suggests that the idea of white supremacy is largely an issue of conformity and a fear of alienation. In her interview, Cramblett also states that she has no problem raising a biracial child (Clifton 2014), which is ironic since the undertones of her two-year postponed law-suit show frustration towards having a child that is racially deviant. In essence, Cramblett demonstrates her obliviousness towards her advantage, which she has now been stripped of by forcing to interact with coloured individuals. Furthermore, although she may be “attuned to the realities of racial inequality”, she struggles to comprehend her role in the racial caste system and the “ways in which the disadvantages of others are closely and directly tied to her own structural advantages” (Hartmann et.al. 2012: 407). In contrast, racial minorities witness to this privilege operate in a “defensive mode” to avoid behaviour that may trigger racist treatment and willingly acknowledge their place in the racial caste system to “retain as much of their self-respect as possible” (Anderson et.al. 2009: 37). Moreover, many who have this privilege believe it to be an anti-white movement/term, contrary to coloured individuals in America who, from a witness perspective, perceive it to be intentional acts of discrimination