Understanding the “Privileged”

“My heart softened. I learned an important lesson: if one wants real understanding between the sexes, or even non-white feminists and white feminists, we've got to respectfully talk and call somebody out on their privilege. The intention has to be to promote unity rather than separation, which is more likely to occur when one communicates as opposed to aggressively confronts.

In similar past situations, I'd get mad. Why should I "respectfully" educate and listen to him when I feel disrespected? It shouldn't even be my responsibility as a non-white minority to teach him in the first place.

Yet because of structural racism, the average person isn't taught about these concepts. I myself didn't know about white male privilege until university. Is it really productive to get mad at him personally, taking out what is actually my anger at society, for being born into a world that didn't teach either of us better earlier? Wouldn't it be more productive to instead respectfully explain it to him and hear him out, given people usually listen when they feel heard?

It turned out it was. That day my privileged white male friend became an advocate for women and racial minorities' rights, and I became a better human being.”

~ Sheena Vasani, via HuffPo