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'Red Table Talk' -

Olivia Jade revealed that she didn't even understand why people were upset that her parents had bribed her university to let her in. She now says it was embarrassing for her to lack awareness of how privileged she was, and calls herself the “poster child of white privilege.”

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Not so fast -

Addressing privilege doesn't fix the problem, however, and Adrienne explained that there is so much "violent dehumanization" and "inequity" among the Black community, that she can't use her energy to make Jade feel better. “I just don't have the energy to put into the fact that you lost your endorsement, that you're not in school right now. At the end of the day, you're gonna be OK. Your parents are gonna go in and do 60 days, and pay the fine, and you’ll go on and be ok, and there’s so many of us that it's not gonna be that situation. It's very difficult for me to care in this atmosphere.”

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Discrimination - Many people all over the world are discriminated against and aren't given equal opportunities. This can be due to their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other factors.

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Avoidance - It can be scary to talk about these issues for fear of causing feelings of disrespect, guilt, sadness, or discomfort.

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Time to face the music -

However, it's not possible to avoid these conversations anymore considering the times we're living in, nor should we want to avoid them.

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Events of 2020 -

The string of police killings of Black people in the United States in particular, as well as the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on minority communities, has opened the floodgates.

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Self-reflection - We are commonly taught about how racism and other forms of discrimination put some people at a disadvantage, but it's rare we look inwards and see whether or not we are benefiting from it.

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Systemic racism - Discrimination can be insidious and hidden within systems that claim to be just and equal at the surface level. In some parts of the world the discrimination is boldly out in the open.

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Singapore -

For example, in Singapore, a highly modern and progressive country in many regards, there is a law that criminalizes "gross indecency" between two men.

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Singapore -

The law in question is Section 337A of the penal code. Its wording is so vague that it covers everything from genuinely unethical behavior to consensual sex between two adults.

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Singapore -

There have been repeated attempts to appeal this law but they have been rejected as recently as March of 2020.

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USA - By contrast, the US constitution and legal system supposedly support equality and justice for all.

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USA -

However, when you analyse the numbers and experiences of minorities, it's clear that they don't have the same rights and opportunities.

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Unemployment rates -

Unemployment rates for Black people in the US have been double that of white people for the past 60 years.

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Wealth distribution - White people own 90% of the country's wealth. Black and Latino people hold only 5.1% despite the fact that they make up more than 30% of the entire population.

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Invisible racism - Millions of people who don't even consider themselves racist contribute to this system every day.

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Invisible racism -

As sociologist Eduardo Bonilla-Silva has said, "The main problem nowadays is not the folks with the hoods, but the folks dressed in suits."

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Privilege -

If you can browse through a store without being followed by security guards, speak to a police officer without fear, or see people who look like you on screen at the movies, then you experience some kind of privilege.

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Privilege -

Privilege does not make a person immune to the hardships of life. A person may unknowingly benefit from skin privilege even if they have experienced other great struggles.

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Visibility -

In their 1995 publication 'Language and Silence: Making Systems of Privilege Visible,' academics Wildman & Davis explain that the lives we lead affect what we are able to see and hear in the world around us.

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Putting in the work -

Engaging in discussions, self-reflection, and self-education about experiences other than our own is an essential part of breaking down the barriers of inequality.

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Self-analysis - The first step recommended by the National Association of School Psychologists in the US is to look inwards and examine our own experiences. They recommend the following list of questions.

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Question 1 -

When was the last time you had to think about your ethnicity, race, gender identity, ability level, religion, and/or sexual orientation? In addition to that, what provoked you to think about or acknowledge it?

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Question 2 -

When watching TV, how likely are you to watch a show with characters that represent you (based on the characteristics mentioned above)?

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Question 3 - How diverse are your social media feeds? Is there diversity amongst your friends and followers?

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Question 4 -

How often do you attend a social gathering with people different to yourself (i.e. people of a different race, gender, religion, etc.)?

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Question 5 - How do you respond when people around you make negative comments about individuals of other races, genders, religions, etc. than you?

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Question 6 - How diverse is the community/neighborhood in which you live?

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Question 7 - How do you feel when you are in a community different to yours?

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Question 8 -

How would you make your community/neighborhood more inclusive and sensitive?

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Question 9 -

If you have ever reflected and found that you benefit from privilege, what did you do with that realization?

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Resources -

For those who find themselves to have privilege, it's important to use the multitude of resources available to understand what the privilege means and how it can be used for good.

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Take action - Examples include stepping in if you see a minority person being discriminated against, being an active witness if someone is being harassed, and engaging in anti-bias work to make your school, workplace, and community more inclusive.

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Take action -

Check out this list of informative resources about anti-racism and start your journey to enlightenment!

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