My White Privilege

This is my skin. It’s how I was made. It’s covered in veins, dimply, freckly, stretch marks, super soft, and worthy of respect. It’s taken me a long time to accept that last part.⁣

My skin is also white. Although I live in a marginalized fat body, I am still privileged.⁣

“White privilege isn’t saying your life hasn’t been hard, but has it been hard BECAUSE of the color of your skin?”⁣

Nope.⁣

If I were to be arrested, I don’t fear my story will not be told, or that I would be treated unfairly.⁣

I get interviews based on my qualifications and not skin color. I don’t get turned down jobs based on the color of my skin.⁣

I would never be turned away from a hospital and told to stop googling, if I were 38 weeks pregnant with dangerously high blood pressure. No, in fact they’d likely induce me if that’s what I wanted.⁣

If I’m having a baby, I don’t worry about surviving (Black women are 4x more likely to die than white women during childbirth).⁣

I know that as a mother of a sick child, I’d advocate for answers and further care in the ICU and I’d get them.⁣

I don’t know what it’s like to have a doctor refuse to acknowledge me let alone not tell me what is going on with my sick child, like I don’t deserve to know (I watched this happen several times to Black mothers in the ICU).⁣

I don’t have to have conversations with my children about why people are not going to treat them equally because of the color of their skin.⁣

I don’t worry about being paid a fair rate.⁣

I can easily buy books, movies, greeting cards, kids toys, and dolls that represent my race.⁣

When I leave a store and the censor goes off, I don’t worry they’ll accuse me of stealing.⁣

I can use a mask/bandana/face covering to protect myself and others from a virus without people thinking I am a criminal.⁣

I don’t know what the trauma of watching people with my skin color die over and over again for no reason feels like. And I’ll never know.⁣

This list could go on and on and on.⁣

This is white privilege. Just a few thoughts as I reflect on everything. Got anything to add? 👇🏼👇🏼