After completing the readings and viewing the videos this week, describe how the readings, the videos, and the inventory activities within the readings have informed your analysis of systems of privilege and power.

Allan Johnson states, “it isn’t news that a great deal of trouble surrounds issues of privilege, power, and difference…it causes a great deal of injustice, anger, conflict, and suffering.” (Johnson, 2018, p. ix). But as a white, male, heterosexual, non-disabled, middle-class, retired professional, I have never given it much thought – if any – until this week. Why would I? I grew up in Calgary, a middle-class neighbourhood, both parents blue-collar workers with strong values. I never heard nor witnessed my parents talk ill of other ethnic origins or people of colour. I delivered newspapers on a paper route of 72 customers at ten years of age. I have worked full-time, many years with a second job, and thought nothing of having privilege or power.

            Johnson (2018, p. 15) made it clear when he stated, “the trouble surrounding diversity is that it is produced by a world organized in ways that encourage people to use difference to include or exclude, accept or reject, reward or punish credit or discredit, elevate or oppress, value or devalue, leave alone or harass.” One of the most significant challenges with my autistic stepdaughter is encouraging her to know she has the power to make her own decisions and manage her life the best she can. It is other people’s perceptions and not about her disability. As a family unit we have little power and control over how society thinks about her and how she is treated as a result. However, her mother, my stepdaughter and me may not like it but certainly do take every opportunity to speak up and make changes where we can.

            During my formal years at school and while teaching adults with disabilities, I cannot accept the posit by (McIntosh, 2010, p. 2), who states, “I think whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege.” However, I will accept her view that white privilege is an invisible package of unearned assets. I am willing to acknowledge white privilege and the unequal power between groups because how can we be progressive and racially inclusive without addressing power and oppression?

            As you can see, my experiences with white privilege and power are limited, but I look forward to a critically reflexive and self-awareness journey over the next seven weeks. I can see the benefits as an educator in defining privileged positions because denying its existence will be a serious barrier to change. For example, reflecting on how I unconsciously attribute underachievement by racial minorities to deficits in individual efforts. I have much to learn about the Canadian population while educating its complex and shifting ethnic, cultural, and racial identities.

            I look forward to my fellow learners on their definitions and experiences with privilege.

Laurie

Johnson, A. G. (2018). Privilege, power and difference (3rd ed.). McGraw Hill Inc. 

McIntosh, P. (1989). White privilege and male privilege: A personal account of coming to see personal     correspondences through work in women’s studies. National Seed Project    https://www.nationalseedproject.org/images/documents/White_Privilege_and_Male_Privilege_Pe rsonal_Account-Peggy_McIntosh.pdf