2 Questions- The Authority of Whiteness

1. In what way has Whiteness entered you life in Canada as either privilege and/or oppression?
Being from a very homogeneous white protestant town, my whiteness was there, although not glaring, from day one. There was never a conscious sense of privilege related to my whiteness, but unconsciously my whiteness afforded me a very easy life. My history corresponded well with the subjects I learned in school. Everything I learned seemed to fit well into my real-life experiences. My friends were all white, the tv shows and books we read echoed our identity. Although I didn't realize it at the time, I was very lucky to be white in a society that privileges whiteness. It made everything so easy and non-controversial.

Living in Montreal has allowed me to recognize the privileges given to me as a white woman in Canada. The first step has been taken, and now I need to work on recognizing inherent racism in print, media and my relationships.

2. What are the limits of the privileges of Whiteness in your daily life?
In my everyday interactions with peers, sometimes my whiteness is seen less as a privilege and more as a joke. When talking with friends from different ethinc backgrounds, sometimes my whiteness is categorized as geeky, awkward and not as cool as my black friends. When trying to dance to hip-hop music, or sing along to a rap song, my friends will comment, "Ali, you're so white." as if my whiteness does not allow my to appreciate popular culture as well as my black friends. My whiteness is still a privilege, but mostly on a larger social scale. In individual interactions, my whiteness is not seen as better, but sometimes as sad and not cool.