Ok, let’s do a little test:

Are you able to walk into most hairdressers in confidence that they will know how to work with your hair?

Can you turn on the TV and see people who look like you widely represented?

If you ask to talk to the person ‘in charge’ at your school, university, or workplace, can you usually face a person of your race? 

Are you able to shop at your local supermarket without staff following you around and automatically assuming that you’re going to steal something? 

Can you depend on the police to protect your safety rather than being violent and biased towards you? 

If you answered yes to these questions, you might be benefitting from white privilege. 

Understanding white privilege

As the term suggests, ‘white privilege’ refers to the privileges and advantages that come with being white in our society. It’s the ability to live a life free of racial biases. In so-called Australia (and other Western nations), white people get a headstart in life as their identity is considered as being ‘normal’, while people of other cultural backgrounds are othered. 

But why? Well, white privilege basically exists due to the history of colonialism and structures of racism that continue to shape our world. Racial biases about First Nations folk and People of Colour have been created throughout history by white people to maintain power and control.

The idea of white privilege doesn’t deny that white people experience struggle too. For instance, many white people experience the challenges of poverty, and rural white folk are disadvantaged by things like lack of access to nearby hospitals. There are many different obstacles people experience in life depending on their circumstances, and sadly race can be one of them. White privilege simply recognises this, and that there is a racial hierarchy in our society which benefits white people at the expense of everybody else.
We also recommend checking out this video from The School That Tried to End Racism, which offers a great visualiser of how white privilege works in so-called ‘Australia’. 

As American activist and scholar Peggy McIntosh explains: 

“Privilege exists when one group has something of value that is denied to others simply because of the groups they belong to, rather than because of anything they’ve done or failed to do. Access to privilege doesn’t determine one’s outcomes, but it is definitely an asset that makes it more likely that whatever talent, ability, and aspirations a person with privilege has will result in something positive for them.” 

What can I do once I recognise my white privilege?

Once we become aware of white privilege, we can start putting in the work to be actively anti-racist. Getting upset, guilty, and defensive about having white privilege is unproductive and doesn’t help anyone. The best thing to do is start thinking about what actions you can take as someone with more privilege to contribute towards racial justice. 

These actions might include: 

Learning when to listen, when to amplify, and when to speak up 

It’s important to listen to what First Nations folk and POC have to say about racism and oppression, and not take up lots of space in these conversations. Listen, learn, and make space for them. As an ally, you can use your privilege to amplify those voices and help them be heard. 

That being said, sometimes it’s also important to use your privilege to speak out against racism. It can be a burden for those who struggle with racism to feel like they have to constantly stand up for themselves. As an ally, you can use your privilege to stand up against racism and reach people who are more likely to listen to you. 

When you’re first starting out, it might be difficult to know when to listen, when to amplify, and when to speak up. But with practice, you’ll start seeing what action is most appropriate for particular situations.

Educate yourself 

There are heaps of books, podcasts, and documentaries out there that talk about racism and white privilege. You have the power to educate yourself! Check out this book list or this list of booklists for young people as a start.

Educate fellow white people 

Share your learnings with other white people. It might be an uncomfortable conversation, but it’s important to push through and get the message across. The more people are aware of their privilege and what actions they can take, the closer we get towards racial equality. 

Risk your unearned benefits to benefit others 

When something unfair happens, don’t be a bystander! Use your white privilege to help out others who don’t have that privilege. Take the risk, as those without white privilege cannot afford to do so.

 For example, you could intervene if a teacher punishes one of your classmates unfairly based on their race, or your friend is being harrassed by the authorities when they’ve done nothing wrong. 

These great tips come from Learning for Justice. Check out their page on white privilege to learn more. 

Are you more of a visual learner? Check out this video for an explanation of how white privilege works in an American context, which has parallels with Australia.