Read Uprooting Racism by Paul Kivel & make a “Jaime’s Knapsack” list based on “Unpacking the Knapsack of White Privilege”, an article by Peggy McIntosh
»» Katie Sosin

The main difference you’ll find between my list & Peggy McIntosh’s is my disregard for how “my family” or “my children” will be treated on account of their race. At 24, children are just not a part my personal picture & thus not a part of my “knapsack”. I tried to keep myself from repeating too many of McIntosh’s original points, though I feel many of her points of privilege do apply to me. I did, however, lift McIntosh’s point #46 as my own #12 because, really, what a huge little thing.

  1. I can live where I choose without being seen as a danger to my community.
  2. I can safely assume that cosmetics of my skin tone are widely available.
  3. When carrying a child of my race it is not assumed that the child is my own.
  4. My attending college was not considered remarkable or a unique achievement because of my race.
  5. I can by holiday decorations & cards which represent my race.
  6. I can easily find many products marketed to fit my white female lifestyle.
  7. My race will never polarize me as a ‘radical’ when I express disfavor for my nation’s politics.
  8. My shabby clothing – or wearing the same clothing for multiple days – will not be regarded as indicative of my race’s wealth or my racial upbringing.
  9. Should I wish to explore my cultural heritage, I can easily find it in many books at any reading level.
  10. If I do not understand another person’s accent it will probably not count against my race.
  11. It is not assumed that I will vote for any particular candidate because of their skin color.
  12. I can easily cover my wounds with bandages that generally match my skin tone.
  13. I can find numerable persons of my race who have won the Nobel Prize, have been listed in the Western literary canon, and who have been awarded one or more Oscars. 
  14. As I child, it was easy to find dolls & other toys I could ethnically identify with. 
  15. I can take part in a satirical website about what people of my race like without fear of discriminating.

I will continue to add to this as further ‘Privileges’ occur to me.