White Privilege: Essential Readings on the Other Side of Racism by compliled by Paula S.
This is an essential book for all who are concerned about He also demonstrates how members of privileged groups can engage critically with their own dominant position, and explores the potential and limitations of them becoming allies against oppression and their own unearned privilege. Pease points out that while the vast majority of people may be oppressed on one level, many are also privileged on another. Undoing Privilege explores the main sites of privilege, from Western dominance, class elitism, and white and patriarchal privilege to the less-examined sites of heterosexual and able-bodied privilege.
As a result, dominant groups have been allowed to reinforce their dominance. In Undoing Privilege, Bob Pease argues that privilege, as the other side of oppression, has received insufficient attention in both critical theories and in the practices of social change. Undoing Privilege: Unearned Advantage in a Divided World by Bob Pease For every group that is oppressed, another group is privileged. However, each account in this text ultimately aims to open minds, hearts, and mouths in ways that push each of us toward a better understanding of our own privileged statuses so that we can use who we are, what we say, and what we do to make our society more accepting and inclusive of all our diverse representations. Some readers may find themselves struggling to comprehend or even believe the experiences this text's authors share, or where they fit within each narrative. Explorations in Diversity offers readers the opportunity to step into the lives of diverse others and experience their lives through their eyes. As a result, it is often difficult and sometimes unbelievable to realize that others, whom one may or may not know, might also experience daily life in a vastly different way. Middleton (Editor) Every person comes to know and understand their life from their own perspective. Don't be afraid to make a statement, write a letter, post a blog, get into a discussion, or create dialogue and criticism in some way to comment on instances of privilege" **Įxplorations in Diversity: Examining the Complexities of Privilege, Discrimination, and Oppression by Sharon K. When we force privilege into view and discuss it openly we engage in solidarity with those who do not share in certain privileges with us. Understanding it requires an active effort to see things from the perspective of other, underprivileged people."* And what can you do? "While you cannot get rid of your privilege, you can acknowledge it. So what is privilege? "Privilege is the benefits and advantages held by a group in power, or in a majority, that arise because of the oppression and suppression of minority groups."* "Furthermore, privilege is, by the social justice definition, the advantages people have that they don't think about because they don't often think about because they never have to experience the oppressive side.
Image text: What are some types of privilege, and how can we combat privilege blindness? Religion, Ability, Gender Identity, Race, Class, Sexuality, Gender, Education.