Brianna Milord

Ms. Aimee Jones

ENC 4404 Advanced Editing and Writing
17 October 2016
Reasons why in 2016 White Privilege Still Exists
The argument presented in the following commentary rests in the idea that white
privilege is as prevalent today as it has always been, just to an extent that influences
media consumption, expression of culture, and accessibility to non-white norms.
Institutionalized laws that have kept people of color from being as productive as their
white counterparts doesnt exist anymore but the pervasiveness of what is seen as the
cultural norm still persists -- with that norm being first the white appropriation of
rebranding cultural identities and secondly, the marginalization of non-white
communities through employment and social disparity. This forces those that dont meet
the normative standards or face disapproval through acts of social defiance. This paper
will address the issues of how white privilege still presents itself through educational,
social and ethical fronts.
Consultant for Organizational Change and Issues of Diversity and White Privilege
Francis E. Kendall PhD, defines white privilege as an institutional, rather than personal,
set of benefits granted to those of us who, by race, resemble the people who dominate the
powerful positions in our institutions (Kendall 1). According to this definition, those that
benefit from white privilege purely due to their pigmentation can in fact incur certain
abilities and freedoms that those who are colored simply cannot. These benefits include
being defined as the standard of culture, creating the perception that others have to be

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judged by and finally, not having their merit or life be demeaned or devalued by senseless
violence. The reason for this is where the institutionalized nature of the problem persists.
People of color cannot incur these privileged positions because of a system that views
whiteness as the standard and other groups as having to subscribe to white ideals of
culture. This privilege is perpetuated while also neglecting the socioeconomic and
societal disparities, like being defined as the ethnic other, that perpetuate white
privilege. This idea is nothing new; it has been ingrained in our culture since the early
ages of this country. The assessment of people of color has been shaped though
circumstance, including indentured servitude, slavery and internment camps and has also
reinforced the culture of nativism and ethnocentrism.
Whole ethnic groups have been confined to a few identifiers or stereotypes,
leaving them as symbols that resonate with white culture, rather than as their own
individual customs. For example, cultural appropriation, which is defined as the adoption
or use of elements of a groups culture by members of another culture, usually the
dominant group, without giving credit, is seen with Native American groups and the
Americanization of their culture. This has contributed to upholding white cultural
demands.
Take the case of Victoria Secret Supermodel Karlie Kloss, 20, who walked the
runway at the 69th Regiment Armory in November of 2012 in the Native American-style
outfit, complete with a headdress (ABC News). After the fashion show aired, Native
American leaders rose up to say that Kloss had misrepresented them and their culture
(ABC News). The Native American headdresses date back to the ancient heritage of
various tribes, and their meaning should not be defiled by those that choose to wear them

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for trends. Adopting traditional garb of a culture and reclaiming it as a fashion accessory
degrades the integrity of that culture. This not only strips away and defiles the true
culture of communities that identify through those symbols and customs, but it also
makes it so that white cultural dominance can dictate and rebrand how cultures are able
to be expressed. However, there can be instances where rather than cultural appropriation,
cultural appreciation is practiced. The only difference being that with appreciation, those
that borrow the symbols or customs of a culture properly attribute it and have an
understanding of why that custom is significant to the culture. In the case of Karlie Kloss,
the headdress was just being worn as a prop on a fashion show, with no real indication
that the cultural significance of the garment was acknowledged and understood. This is
where the white privilege comes into play: being able to live life knowing that your
customs are seen as the default and the customs that everyone must assimilate to.
What is now defined as white privilege has also been pervasive within the
education system. Doctors Kenneth and Mamie Clark were asked to do research for the
court case Brown vs. Board of Education. They constructed the experiment in the 1940s,
now known as simply as, The Doll Test, in order to raise empirical questions about the
effects of segregation on black children. The doctors used four dolls that were identical to
each other, except for the color. The dolls ranged from a light to dark shades to represent
white, brown and black skin colors. When asked to tell the researcher who the smart,
pretty, or good, doll was, black children disproportionately chose the white doll
over the black doll. The Clarks concluded, prejudice, discrimination, and segregation
created a feeling of inferiority among African-American children and damaged their selfesteem (NAACPLDF).

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Although the original experiment was constructed in the 60s, replicas of the
testing have been completed today, most recently by CNN, and the results mirror those
found in pre-Civil Rights America. The goal of the replica study was to, determine the
status of childrens racial beliefs, attitudes and preferences as well as skin tones biases,
(CNN Study). They conducted a similar experiment, testing a total of 133 elementary and
middle school students from schools in Atlanta and New York from both majority White
school and majority African-American schools. CNNs results were also very similar to
that of the original doll test, explaining that, children who selected lighter skin tones for
the children with positive traits (i.e., smart, nice, good, good looking) selected darker skin
tones for children with negative traits (i.e. dumb, mean, bad ugly).
Children arent born with the false notion that black is bad and white is favorable:
it is a socially constructed concept, inescapable with the dominance of the media and
social reinforcement. For example, when a child turns on the TV or goes to watch their
favorite superhero movie, the default character is normally a white, brawny male. The
Harvard Political Review assessed the issue of diversity in superhero casting, questioning
why, super-powered genetic mutations select white people almost exclusively, while
noting the fact that, as superhero films progress, black characters remain in supporting
roles. Characters like Avengers Nick Fury, Man of Steels Perry White, and Captain
America: Winter Soldiers Sam Wilson show that minority castings are never the leader
(HPR). There has been recent progress made as far as casting minority characters into
leading superhero roles in Netflixs Luke Cage. Cage is the first black superhero on
television for the last 20 years, and one whose narrative is crafted to mirror some of the
realities felt by minority communities. Rolling Stone describes the story line of Luke

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Cage as a black hero from Harlem with soulful eyes and a tragic past, who was thrown
in prison for a crime he didnt commit, then tortured and bestowed with the power to hurl
men through walls (Rolling Stone). This racial representation has been acknowledged as
a huge milestone in the creation of racially conscious content content that illustrates
another narrative that is atypical of the normal streamlined superheroes in the media.
Luke Cage has tasked with upholding historical, racial and political content, with some
even drawing a parallel to his bulletproof power and Trayvon Martins death. This
mirroring from reality to cartoon is to reflect the realisms that take place in the African
American America. It is a program that could signal a shift in what is typically seen with
the typical white savior character and the black villain character, which could work to
counteract stigmas and negative associations of the latter group.
The cartoon and animated princesses that have been marketed to young children
have also been predominantly white with long straight hair and big eyes. The recent
release of Disneys Frozen reinforced some of the criticism that, the majority of their
movies are still very European or American-based and very generic (Whitelocks). This
criticism has been translated into studies, showing that, after watching clips of cartoon
characters who were princesses, many of the girls aged three to six, reported that they
would need to change their hair color, clothes and skin color (Whitelocks).
This constant exposure to the overt underrepresentation of minority groups can
lead to children feeling less adequate, believing that the role of the superhero or the
princess is left up to people that look like the European or American based character and
not someone that looks like them.

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The contemporary version of white privilege also finds itself intruding in the
workplace. Research conducted by Economists Marianne Bertrand and Sendhil
Mullainathan showed that even when presented with the same exact rsum, besides the
name, employees with the names of Emily and Greg were hired more often that Lakisha
and Jamal. In order to conduct the study, the researchers generated the resumes and then
assigned uniquely African-American names, which was based on census data from the
1970s. They then faxed the resumes to over 1,300 employers and measured whether or
not the ad elicited a callback or email response for a follow up interview. These results
suggest, that a white applicant should expect on average one call back for every 10 adds
he or she applies to while the ratio for African American potential employees is every one
in 15 ads (Bertrand and Mullainathan).
This study presents a case for false meritocracy, or finding employment from
those that fit a specific look or employee ideal rather than their credentials. In this case,
qualifications are seen as arbitrary. Instead, something that should be arbitrary, like a
name, gets the focus and perpetuates this preferential treatment. A name doesnt even
begin to define the merits of a worker. Therefore Emily and Greg, whether they are aware
of it or not, are recipients of white privilege.
The residue of white privilege can also be seen at a more microscopic level,
weaved into the day-to-day actions that we all perform. For example, Jennifer Holladay, a
author and former director of the program Teaching Tolerance, outlined what little things
make up the bigger picture of white advantage including the following:
When I cut my finger and first aid kit, the flesh-colored Band-Aid
generally matches my skin tone. When I stay in a hotel, the

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complimentary shampoo generally works with the texture of my hair.

People do not assume that I got where I am professionally because of my
race (Holladay).
These things might seem minute in nature but they add up for those that
experience them. For minority groups, feeling as though your country doesnt make the
proper accommodations for you, depreciates your sense of belonging. This point also
waves off anti-white privilege arguments dictating that, many white people dont feel
privileged at all and dont feel as though they benefit from the effects of it (Wise). It is
true that being white doesnt mean that your life is perfect or should be held to a different
standard; it simply means that whether one is aware of it or not, they are recipients of
preferential treatment that many others are barred from, just because of their skin and
therefore standing in this country.
The notion of white privilege is often met with resistance because many dont
believe that it exists. Many arguments that come up against the idea of white privilege
include that its is just a cop out, or that minorities just need to work harder if they want
their piece of the pie. While these ideas represent some of the most common anti-white
privilege views that are held, they are failing to see the pervasive tendencies of white
privilege. There can be no merit given to an argument that states that black Americans are
just not trying hard enough. It is absurd to think that an entire race can just decide to not
try hard enough to meet whatever criteria are upheld. Black people, as well as white
people and every other race represented in this country are large groups made up of
individuals. To discredit the whole race because of the actions of a few is not by any
means acceptable reasoning. Undermining the value of minorities only further

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accentuates a growing divide. The excuse isnt that black people are lazy and dont try to
get their piece of the pie like everyone else -- it is the fact that Emily gets hired over
Lakisha.
Addressing the marginalization of minority groups through pointing out the flaws
of white privilege isnt an attack on white culture or being white. We have moved well
beyond Jim Crow but a more modern form of oppression is wreaking havoc on the
integrity in which we treat and value our diversity. As a country, the racial paradigm has
continued to take new forms but the underlying feature still holds true: there are
advantages that others dont, based on something as random as the color of their skin. It
is addressing these facts and understanding that the implications create permanent and
unwarranted feelings of inferiority that translate to the economic and social reality of
many, in some cases.
Diagnosing white privilege for what it is shouldnt be translated into blaming
anyone for the social landscape of the country. Instead, it should be more of a push to
display the message that the lives that some are living are still considerably different than
others and figuring out how that gap in experience can be chipped at. Moving forward,
the comprehension of the interplay between how these privileges interact with society can
help construct methods to reduce the gap in treatment and stop ethnic names, skin color
and the negative effects of cultural appropriation from defining the competency of
cultural groups.

Works Cited

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Aucoin, Julianna. "The Superhero Diversity Problem - Harvard Political Review."

Harvard Political Review The Superhero Diversity Problem Comments. 24 Oct.
2014. Web. 20 Feb. 2015.
Bertrand, Marianne, and Sendhil Mullainathan. "Are Emily and Greg More Employable
Than Lakisha and Jamal? A Field Experiment on Labor Market
Discrimination." American Economic Review 94.4 (2004): 991-1013. Web. 31
Jan. 2015.
"Far More Than Anecdote: Quantifying Racism and White Privilege in the Criminal
Justice System." Tim Wise RSS. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.
Kendall, Francis E., and Harr. "Understanding White Privilege.": 1-11. Cpt.org. 9 July
2002. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.
Kindelan, Katie. "Victorias Secret Apologizes to Native Americans." ABC News. ABC
News Network, 13 Nov. 2012. Web. 19 Feb. 2015.

"NAACP Legal Defense Fund : Defend, Educate, Empower." Brown at 60: The Doll Test.
Web. 30 Jan. 2015.
White Anti-Racist Activism: A Personal Roadmap by Jennifer R. Holladay, M.S.
(Crandall, Dostie & Douglass Books, Inc., 2000)
Whitelocks, Sadie. "Angry Disney Fans Create Their Own Ethnic Princess after Latest
Film Features ANOTHER 'generic' White Female." Mail Online. Associated
Newspapers, 02 July 2013. Web. 19 Feb. 2015.