I actually agree with him, to an extent.

HIV/AIDS has it's own stigma that pregnancy doesn't have. (An unfair stigma. Don't get me wrong.)

Although I agree with the point you were trying to make, I don't think that the examples are compatible enough to make the point clearly.

I see the point you're trying to make. Firstly, it's pretty messed up that the same people who claim that an embryo is a person are the same people who use it as an object of shame (if life is so sacred, how can it ever be shameful?) and use it to showcase the decay of modern society. But it somehow can all be fixed with a nice, (preferably Christian) wedding and a "wholesome" upbringing up the baby, once born. Though usually, it's more likely for a White child to be seen as a blessing from "God" and a Brown child being seen as a leach on the vein of society...

But those who are HIV positive are always to blame: "How could you not know your partner was positive?" or "How could you be so irresponsible?"- with the exception of the rare case of blood transfusion. The general public still has little sympathy for these people: as if they had it coming. But marrying a partner who is HIV positive doesn't change their stigma, even though the mistake was most likely made the same way as an accidental pregnancy would have.

And furthermore, plenty of people still get The Clap, but since it's so easy to treat no one takes it seriously or shames those who have it. So why are people only faulted for getting *serious* diseases?

I've been discussing that article on another website and the consensus seems to be that it's making a good point, but that some are more linked to class privilege than white privilege, and some points don't entirely fit the thesis - but that's bound to happen when you take a bunch of complex issues and try to fit them all through one lens.

It's definitely worth bringing them all up to analyze and expose, but it's probably more beneficial to look at some of those separately from the race issue and find out what's really going on there. Whatever the cause, there's a double standard that's not acceptable.

I thought that was a really interesting article, and definitely brings up points that we as a nation should be thinking about.

I'll also throw in something that's been bothering me: how white people love to talk about how "progressive" we are by "letting" a black candidate get this far. It's like, "See, America's not racist! There's a black guy with power right there!" It's the political equivalent of "I can tell racist jokes, because I have a black friend!"

Without disagreeing that race is an important factor, I'd offer that class probably has as much to do with the reaction as race. Though not stigmatized to the same extent, poor whites ("trailer trash" etc.) have similar attitudes hurled at them re: teen pregnancy. It's when POOR people get pregnant that they're stigmatized as a drain on society, after all, how dare they, in all their poorness, reproduce? [that's meant as irony in case it's not clear]

I think there's an unspoken sense that Bristol Palin's situation is more palatable to the public because people understand that she's got a support network with the resources to help her raise her child, she'll probably still be able to go to college etc. Middle and upper class people are more comfortable with a situation that's presented in that frame.

Again, not denying the racial dynamic, but it's worth pointing out the class-based stigma involved.

I definitely agree that the uproar around Bristol Palin has showcased the hypocrisy of the conservatives. All of a sudden, when it benefits them, a pregnant teenager is a personal family matter. And yes, I think race does play heavily into this. It's been said before that if the Obamas' had a pregnant teenage daughter, he would never have been able to run for president.

But I don't think class can be discounted here. I have had this argument with a Republican friend of mine, who says her problem is with people getting pregnant who can't afford to take care of their children. I've argued back that there are a lot of issues that go into that including the disproportionate number of WOC who are poor, the cost of health insurance and access to affordable birth control. However, I can see why some people would say that Bristol Palin's situation is different because her family is taking the expense on themselves, versus someone who would need to seek government assistance. I'd like to know how to argue back against that line of thinking.

This entire election has been am exercise in white privilege. When we talk about race we talk about the blackness of Baracks body and not the whiteness of McCain. His body is encoded with certain messages and exists with power. Much of McCains value comes from the color of his skin and the fact that whiteness is invisible in our so-called dialogue on race speaks volumes about the degree of power that it is able to wield. McCain body is deemed normalized and therefore not controversial.

Race, and gender, and class too. Your post alerts us to all of that in this election. Thanks!

White privilege is being a white male and writing about white privilege because, as some of the comments on the original blog vocalize, it is assumed that people of color (or whomever he is trying to speak for) need this man's representation and words because they can't speak for themselves.

More bad news-people who are victims of white (and upper-middle class and above) privilege won't even be reading this blog because they are busy working for lower wages and longer hours and probably don't have time to browse the blogosphere wondering what white men who think they're entitled to speak for others are saying.

As Sarah Haskins would say, "You know what makes me angry? Listen to you talk about how angry I am."

I read this article a few days ago (I believe it was posted on the internet somewhere else on the 13th. I stumbled on it. woo for firefox!) and thought it was pretty good.

But I agree that some of this is not only white privilege but also classism.

I did check out the knapsack article, and I found that many of her points did characterize my race, they fell apart because of my sex or genetics.
For instance: "35.I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having my co-workers on the job suspect that I got it because of my race." If I sub race with sex, I can no longer claim this statement (I'm an engineer for a big company.)

Also this one: "12. I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods which fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser's shop and find someone who can cut my hair." Actually, I have really curly hair that most hair dressers don't know how to cut.

But now I have to ask, is a lot of "white privilege" actually "majority privilege"?

msmaddy,

That is point #30. in the knapsack article. "If I declare there is a racial issue at hand, or there isn't a racial issue at hand, my race will lend me more credibility for either position than a person of color will have."
Which also works for males talking about sexism.

msmaddy,

do you think mr wise shouldn't have written and distributed the article?

i don't think it was even written for people of color... i think it was written for white folks to read and get white folks thinking about their own privilege... i've gotten this article forwarded to me by my mom (white) and a chamber music composer i know (also white), so it seems to be hitting that audience... and resonating with them... and, if it does, all the better, i think...

besides, i don't really see the article speaking on anyone's behalf... it's a white guy talking about what it means to be white to other white people... something we should be doing much more often if we're going to engage in anything remotely resembling dialog.

re: the class stuff... well, that's another issue... because class privilege can be just as invisible to middle- and upper-class folks as whiteness can be to white folks... and, lord knows, some of the folks who've email this article to me have class privilege in droves...

peace

alright, after looking again at msmaddy's point and femgineer's point, maybe i just didn't get it the first time around.

I know this is nitpicky, but I have a criticism of your post, Courtney. You say ...her situation (unprotected sex leading to HIV infection) was similar to Bristol's (unprotected sex leading to unplanned pregnancy), but AFAIK we have no idea if Bristol was having unprotected sex. Condoms break, birth control pills fail, etc etc. Unless she has announced somewhere that she was having unprotected sex, it is a good idea not to assume that she was.

Sadly, I think that at least in the issue of pregnancy, socio-economic level plays into people's judgments as much as or even more than race. If a lower-class white "trailer trash" girl were to get pregnant at her high school, you can bet that she would feel the stigma. I'm not saying that "white privilege" can be ignored, but I think the hierarchical income-based sense of privilege is what's really the case.

I saw the Tim Wise article, and for the most part I agree. The portion you quote in your post, however, is not so much about racism but pure politics. Conservatives were condemning teen pregnancy across the board until it was Bristol Palin, daughter of a conservative politician. This can easily be seen in the comments made by Bill O'Reilly, who defended Bristol Palin's pregnancy as a private matter and personal choice just months after condemning Jamie Lynn Spears' pregnancy as a result of bad parenting. Last I checked, Jamie Lynn Spears is white, and as she is/was a TV star we can assume she has the funding to take care of her child ... So the only significant difference here is that Bristol is the daughter of a conservative political candidate.

I live in the suburbs with my husband and kids.While we are not rich, we struggle to live here in order for our kids can go to a decent school where the kids have text books at least.My husband does social work and holds down two jobs.He is the kindest, sweetest most gentle man I have ever met,but he is always over 6 feet tall and very dark skin. When we walk down our suburban street and someone yells "nigger' out their car window, trust me when I say it has nothing to do with privilege or when our police officers are constantly running his tags or when my sons enter a store the workers are not looking at their neat clothes and haircuts they are not looking at them as privileged but as black. I can give more examples but i will be here all day.

As a woman and as a woman of color (and in my opinion and experience) I see racism as the biggest "ism" that we still face in this country.

How can you possibly say this is "White privilege"???? You people need to step back and stop being racist towards white people. Guess what, white women are just as shamed as black women, and every other race in this country,for getting pregnant or infected by HIV. This really disgusts me.

Amb6887, that was a really funny joke! Thanks for the humor break.

You people need to step back and stop being racist towards white people.

i think i just threw up in my mouth. i think you ought to take a step back and realize that, while white women, poor people and, basically, all kinds of folks have it hard in different ways... there is a privilege that goes along with whiteness and if you don't get it, i suggest you at least try to understand what folks are talking about.

penny rose,
dang... i can't even imagine... and the indignity of having amb6887's comment right after you shared that... stay strong, know you're doing the right thing for your family, and don't let the cops tell you 'boys will be boys' if your house gets damaged (as happened when someone shot out a window with a menorah in it in our predominantly wasp suburb)...

penny rose and puckalish: thank you for reminding me how far we still have to go. I tend to think of racism, sexism, etc, rearing its ugly head in a less violent, threatening form these days. It's unpleasant, but I need to be reminded that some people are in physical danger because of biggots. I'm lucky. I'm Jewish and live in a wasp-y suburb, but I've never gotten more than run-of-the-mill, non-threatening ignorance.

Courtney, what paper was that? I've never heard of op-ed editors sending personal responses to letters. It strikes me as very unprofessional. It makes it sound like he *really* didn't like your opinion, instead of just intellectualy disagreeing with it. Very troubling.

Racism, based on its definition, can only be enacted by those in power, and thus it's impossible to be racist toward white people. Prejudiced, yes, but racist, no. I think this issue is absolutely tied to race, and class as well, but we won't be able to recognize that until we can stop being so defensive about that privilege. I'm white, and I know that gives me unfair advantages in certain situations, the same way that being a woman has bitten me in the ass more times than I can count. Women can't advance unless men relinquish some power, and minorities can't advance unless whites relinquish some power. And being defensive just brings us further and further from this aim. All women are judged for unwanted pregnancies, HIV, etc, but minority women certainly more so. Do you think Nickelodeon would have issued a statement of pride for Jamie Lynn Spears keeping her baby if she'd been black? Doubtful. They probably would have canceled her show.

There's always been this bullshit attitude that only "slutty" women get pregnant when they don't want to be, and an even more intense belief that only "slutty" women get STDs, HIV included.

Of course, in human reproduction, females are the limiting factor, not males, so it really makes no difference to her fertility whether a hypothetical woman is sleeping with one man or one hundred.

And, of course, if all her partners are HIV negative, she could sleep with a million men without becoming positive, where just one positive partner, even if he was the only man she ever slept with, could be enough to make her HIV positive.

It's one of those Pagan vs. Judeo-Christian mythology things. In Pagan mythology, when bad things happen to people, it's just because of bad luck or a God(dess) being an asshole. But in the J-C mythology, if bad things happen to people, it's because they've done something bad and are being justly punished. HIV is a really shitty thing to happen to anyone. So the only way people can make sense of it is to say it's a punishment, and make HIV positive people out to be villains instead of just unlucky people. And of course, the "because Zeus is a dick" explanation is completely out of the window at this point.

I'm amazed that so many here are trying to claim that it can't be race. Am I the only one who remembers that the original "welfare queens" were always black? Yes, class has something to do with this, but race certainly does too, and trying to say one matters more than the other...? Well, I don't think poor black women would agree with you.