Well, include me in the 'certain few' because there is no question that I have experienced privilege as a white man and further privilege as a white woman in a society that seems to draw a hard line between trans women of color and the rest of us.Originally Posted by ~Joanne~
As a white man I progressed through the ranks of a construction career much quicker than I would have if I had been black. I know this because I left many black and hispanic friends behind in the field as I moved into management. Was I better than them? I'd like to think so, but I don't know that to be the case. There must have been non-white candidates that were at least equally as good right? In my current position there is ONE black Project Manager in a staff of about 30 of us. A few Asian, and about half women, but I don't expect to see a black female PM in my career here.
It's not blatant racism because we are an extremely liberal university with diversity street cred all over the world. It's a persistent and systemic racism that starts in school or in my case, the construction site where most of us got started. It ebbs and flows through generations, but it exists and there is no thinking person that would argue otherwise. The "white guilt" is useless, but we do need white people to recognize that the system is rigged in our favor. Like many things recognizing and acknowledging the problem is the first step towards a solution.
As a white man I was able to take advantage of career opportunities that eventually afforded me the resources necessary to fund my transition. It wasn't easy by any measure and it did almost cost me my career BUT my problems have been largely middle class problems. Fear of losing career, house, status, etc. I have to recognize that many of my sisters don't have those things to lose. The fear itself was couched in privilege because my fears weren't about going hungry, or living on the street. My fears were simply about being uncomfortable in a way that I was unaccustomed to being. That by itself is a rather privileged position to be in. A position that many of my sisters do not share, especially if they're not white.
We are all privileged in some way yes? Perhaps we should spend more time being grateful and less time being hateful. Or as my momma used to say, "count your blessings"
