It’s a term I have heard used by a lot of people, but I’m sorry I just can’t accept it. It started with a feeling that this isn’t right. So I thought hard about why I felt that way.
My first conclusion was that it was a term that is quite positive in nature because it focuses on the white grouping. It isn’t bad for people to be able to achieve things, so focusing on the things white people achieve tends to hide the issue. It would be better to use a term non-white disadvantage, because that at least recognises the problem.
But as I thought longer I realised my main problem was with the fact that it is very passive terminology. It doesn’t drive action.
I thought longer about it. I started to think about the old ideas of sins of commission and sins of omission – the idea that not doing something can be wrong. It fitted for me.
I like the idea of racism of commission and racism and racism of omission. So rather than using the term white privilege I would rather call it racism of omission, because it has a focus on the problem and drives action.
But then it doesn’t roll of the tongue as easily.