Racism is an issue that has been around in society for much too long. More specifically, race privilege is something that many people are not consciously aware of. According to Jennifer Simpson (1995) race privilege “refers to a range of advantages people receive because of skin color” which is often known as ‘white privilege’ (although this is not always the case). The main reason I chose to bring up this topic of race privilege is because it is often overlooked yet it is an issue many individuals face daily.
This recently dawned upon me due to it being a recurring theme in two of my courses at the University of British Columbia (Sociology 100C taught by Dr. Sullivan and Gender Race Sexuality and Social Justice 224A taught by Dr. Litsa). In Sociology class, a prime example of racism and race privilege we covered was the Komagata Maru incident in which a ship full of mostly Indian immigrants traveling from Hong Kong was denied entry into Canada in 1914 (SFU Library, 2011). In particular, Manjot Bain’s interview on the Komagata Maru Journey website regarding her own experiences as being an Indian in Canada really hit home as she brought up some excellent points about race privilege (specifically white privilege) and the fact that having a “policy of tolerance” to different cultures is not enough compared to having an “understanding or engagement with different cultures” (SFU Library; Media Analysis Lab, SFU School of Communication, 2011).
Race privilege does not have to be associated with being White. Hailing from Singapore where the majority of the population is of Chinese descent (being Chinese myself), never did I stop and consider the privileges associated with being a Chinese Singaporean. Living in a place where you are part of the ethnic majority, the race privileges you have are almost always taken for granted. Just because as an individual you may not be racist or prejudiced against the different minorities in your community does not mean your privilege does not exist. It is only when you step out of the majority and into the minority do you become aware of the race privileges the majority harnesses and the disadvantages experienced by the minority.
I would like to engage you as a reader of this blog post. Consider the following:
Do you live with race privilege daily without realizing it?
Have you been at a disadvantage due to other people’s race privilege?
Take time to reflect upon yourself and the society that we live in today. Even if you feel that you are not at all affected by race privilege, bear in mind that many people around you are and it is something we need to consciously and actively debunk in order to eradicate it.
Chris,
I think this is a really important topic to discuss, especially in a city like Vancouver that is known for being multicultural. Vancouver prides itself in being culturally diverse and welcoming. We have many different neighborhoods in the city that are known for specific cultures, for example, “Little India” on Main Street and “Little Italy” around Commercial. From your perspective does this lead to more racism and division between cultures? Or do these areas create positive environments that allow for people to continue their traditions and values?
I acknowledge I live with race privileges, but I also wonder about privilege within one’s own race. For example, I am half Chinese and half Caucasian but I speak neither Mandarin or Cantonese. Therefore, I feel like i’m at a disadvantage within my own family. I think it is interesting to discuss racism not only between different races but also within a race.
Leilan,
I believe that having specific areas which are related to a certain culture is a positive thing as it allows people to express their own heritage and roots. Even if you are not Italian for example, you are more than welcome to visit Little Italy (I assume) and experience their culture such as food or entertainment.
In terms of privilege within one’s own race, I admit I never really thought about it in the way you brought up. Being mixed creates a whole different scenario as it would create a division between both heritages, which could be a good or bad thing as you are able to embrace both but at the same time feel that you do not truly fit in with either.