Today, there are still debates about the racial and dominance of the white race over the other races. There are different opinions on the same problem. Therefore, it is important to comprehend both points of view in order to recognize and draw conclusions about each of them. Moreover, it is important to determine how to behave with people whose beliefs vary from the beliefs of the therapist.
One of the parties on this issue believes that whites are privileged in all spheres of life. If a person gets a job, then the employer will give preference to a white man since, according to stereotypes, white people everywhere receive higher education, grow up in prosperous full families and are well-mannered (Mcltosh, 2003). If a white man gets caught by the police, they treat him quite politely and a thorough investigation of the case begins. However, if the police catch a black man, then violent actions are often used in his direction since they believe that he is particularly dangerous (Mcltosh, 2003). Therefore, it is possible to justify people who consider whites to be a privileged race.
There is also a reverse point of view, which says that white privilege does not exist on the contrary. In addition, some people believe that now everything is being created for the sake and for the benefit of racial minorities, which, on the contrary, negatively affects the whites themselves. Today, talking about racial discrimination has become a kind of trend, especially after the egregious case of George Floyd and mass protests (Wise, n.d.). Other people call this reverse racism since when applying for a job, the first is chosen between a black and a white to show that the company supports minorities. Moreover, dark-skinned people began to be included in historical films and remakes, although according to historical data, they do not correspond to the original events. Hence, from this point of view, the lack of white privilege is true.
As for me, I support a more neutral point of view as I do not consider either of these two completely justified. Firstly, I do not think that companies now prefer to hire people of the white race, as it is unprofitable for them. Nevertheless, by hiring people based on race, employers can face countless complaints from employees (Wise, n.d.). Moreover, after the mass protests of BALM (Black Leaves Matter), the police softened their actions when detaining criminals. I believe that in recent years, people have learned to adhere to equality, at least in the official business sphere. The world is still not perfect and racism has not completely disappeared, but the changes are quite noticeable in all areas of our lives.
Working in a therapeutic institution, you can encounter a lot of people who have different values and views. However, it is important to stick to the neutral side and not provoke a dispute because it is necessary to remember that this is a professional environment. As a therapist, first of all, I would reassure the patient and assure him that I can be trusted. I would not enter into an argument in any case, as this will lead to nothing.
In conclusion, it should be noted that society still needs to work to achieve full equality in all areas of life and in the minds of people. There are many people, and there are many opinions different from each other. Some people consider white privilege to be an urgent and serious problem that needs to be addressed urgently, while other people have confidence that white privilege is not real. Working in therapeutic institutions it is important to remain neutral.
References
Mcltosh, P. (2003). White Privilege. Unpacking the invisible knapsack. In S. Plous. (Ed.), Understanding prejudice and discrimination. (p. 191-196). McGraw-Hill.
Wise, T. (n.d.). Denial – Privilege and Life as a Majority. Web.