#WhitewomanPrivledge

[ismnotwasm]

Yesterday #WhiteWomanPrivilege trended around the online feminist community. According to Topsy, #WhiteWomanPrivilege was tweeted over 15K times, just on Tuesday.

It may surprise followers that the hashtag originated from a white woman, @Auragasmic who started the day tweeting about the privilege white men experience:

Auragasmic @Auragasmic
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#WhiteMalePrivilege is saying that because you don't personally experience something, that it doesn't exist. #Sexism #Racism
9:06 AM - 14 Jan 2014
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After several tweets about #WhiteMalePrivilege, she flipped the script and began commenting on her own privilege, which launched the conversation.


Auragasmic @Auragasmic
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Can we talk about the privilege we white women have now?
9:15 AM - 14 Jan 2014
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Auragasmic @Auragasmic
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#WhiteWomanPrivilege is being the idealized as the epitome of femininity and beauty.
9:17 AM - 14 Jan 2014
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Auragasmic @Auragasmic
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#WhiteWomanPrivilege is being able to express your sexuality/relationship without judgement from MSM (see: the way Beyoncé was judged)
9:24 AM - 14 Jan 2014
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The conversation that followed @Auragasmic‘s original tweet sparked further discussions from white feminists who spoke about recognizing their own privilege, and from feminists of color illuminating on their experiences, which differed from the stories from white women.

Tasha L. Harrison @dirtyscribbler
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#whitewomanprivilege means never having the talk w/ ur sons about appearing non-threatening and law abiding when you've done nothing wrong.
12:20 PM - 14 Jan 2014
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Unlike the #SolidarityIsForWhiteWomen trend, #WhiteWomanPrivilege focused more on the experiences and realities of women of color (WOC) as parents, consumers, and as viewers.


Iris Estrada @Iris_Estrada
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#WhiteWomanPrivilege is not having to celebrate the few times a character on tv looks like you and DOESN'T play a maid or a drug lord.
6:50 PM - 14 Jan 2014
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Iris Estrada @Iris_Estrada
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#WhiteWomanPrivilege is not having to celebrate the few times a character on tv looks like you and DOESN'T play a maid or a drug lord.
6:50 PM - 14 Jan 2014
3 RETWEETS 6 FAVORITES ReplyRetweetFavorite

http://www.hashtagfeminism.com/whitewomanprivilege/

[redqueen]

1. So flicking awesome!

I love feminists!

[cinnabonbon]

2. Heh! That's the way you do it!

Glad it was started by a white woman too, as opposed to who normally start it: annoyed white guys.

It's a breath of fresh air to actually see some people be aware of their privilege and accept it.

[sufrommich]

3. Yes it is,imagine what great change could happen if

recognizing privilege was accepted and not constantly derided by those who are trying to hang onto that privilege.

[cinnabonbon]

4. Can you imagine how much

more positive the conversations would become if certain people would just say "yes, I benefited from that. That's not fair to you and I see that. How can I help?"

Instead we get pages up and pages down about how talking about racism is racist against white people, and by bringing up rape and "women-centric" issues, we're shaming men for being men. Good grief.

[sufrommich]

5. ....

[ismnotwasm]

6. ...

[redqueen]

7. "Yes, I benefited from that. That's not fair to you and I see that. How can I help?"

Yep. It's as simple as that.

And often people automatically see how they can help. Such as the case when a light-skinned woman who can pass called out a cashier for treating her darker-skinned sister unfairly. This woman used her white privilege to address unfairness. If the woman being mistreated had said anything, she would not have been heard in the same way. The same racism that caused the cashier to treat her differently would have made her complaint less effective.

[cinnabonbon]

8. That is the best way to be an ally

to use the privilege you have to make sure those lacking that privilege can be heard. As you said, people with privilege will be listened to differently than those who are vulnerable in those situations, and that gesture may change the outcome of the situation dramatically.