Modern society has gone a long way to provide equal opportunities for people from all backgrounds. However, many aspects are yet to be aligned with this idea. There are many barriers that prohibit rapid advancements of the notion of equality for all individuals. Whiteness, being one of the primary reasons in the Western countries that leads to unfair opportunities, has become an important topic for discussions in scientific, political, and social debates. Whiteness, as it exists today, is being actively researched to determine the full extent of its harmful effects and methods of their alleviation, yet many studies remain focused on conflicts between races. In the meantime, it continues to cause numerous controversies over its actual impact and means to reduce its detrimental effects that need to be well-defined prior to moving forward with plans of their dismantling. In this essay, the notion of whiteness, alongside its development, normalization, and perceived benefits, will be discussed. The examples of whiteness as seen in the latest events that caused controversies based on racial inequalities will be provided.
History of Whiteness Studies
It is vital to understand the origins of this topic before discussing its current studies. Despite having been established at the beginning of the twentieth century, whiteness has not been adequately explored until recently. There are three distinct waves of whiteness studies that can assist with defining the course for action in this field (Garner, 2017). The first studies were described by African-American activists who have experienced the post-Civil War society with all its divisiveness (Garner, 2017). It was empirical evidence presented by those affected by racism in the United States.
Exploration of whiteness as a part of Western cultures continued in the second half of the twentieth century. For the purposes of defining whiteness, sociologists have used the term “white” to describe a person of European origin or ancestry (Chen, 2017). This stage marks the second part of the progress in whiteness studies, during which the benefits of being white have been outlined, and inherent racism was partially exposed (Garner, 2017). An extensive list of all advantages that whites experience without fully understanding them or their origin was created by Peggy McIntosh, who outlined several of such perks that she experienced in her lifetime (Yarna, 2017). Her essay led to a more precise definition of whiteness as a phenomenon. During this time, whiteness remained in the spotlight, as the lives of white people were analyzed on their links to nationality and racial categorization (Garner, 2017). This step served as the foundation for further structurization for knowledge about the science of racism.
The third stage in whiteness studies is currently ongoing and reveals the first results from the practical application of theoretical frameworks that define whiteness. The effect whiteness has on other races has been outlined, and racialized interests were put in line with others (Garner, 2017). Structures, practices, and ideologies that support this innate whiteness were analyzed (Garner, 2017). This poorly hidden white supremacy was revealed to the masses, causing uproar among minority groups that experienced its effects for generations (Garner, 2017). Nowadays, methods of combatting its impact are being developed and tested.
Perceived Privileges
The privileges stemming from whiteness give this particular group of people many advantages in life. White privileges are a centerpiece for many social and political studies papers due to their impact on equality. This term was created by United States sociologists in the 1980s to outline advantages that were given to white people merely because of the structure of their society (Davids et al., 2021). Garner (2017, p. 1586) states that both “political choices” and “popular culture” are entirely complacent with the norms of whiteness, featuring white-favoring ideas and depictions. It is necessary to clearly outline what institutions favor whiteness in order to ensure their fairness of processes.
White people often fall into the category of individuals with inherent advantages during situations that decide their future successes in life. They can expect to see their representation in almost any media in their culture and others, they have little to no harmful stigmas attached to their skin color, and their issues are actively being resolved (Yarna, 2017). In turn, minorities may regularly find themselves excluded from popular works of fiction and expect to be treated as individuals of lesser worth (Yarna, 2017). For a long time, political parties represented the views of the white majority solely, causing the further increase of whiteness in governmental structures (Davids et al., 2021). These factors are not clearly visible from a position of a regular citizen, making them difficult to address.
One of the benefits that white people experience is widespread acceptance of their world views stemming from past expansions that left a mark on European cultures, especially religion, in other regions. The majority of societal norms that have religious background is linked with whiteness, as Christian fundamentalism is one of the primary structures that uphold whiteness (Perry and Whitehead, 2020). This aspect is critical for other ethnic groups, as the diversity of religious views is difficult to achieve even without considering the influence of whiteness.
The Normativity of Whiteness
People do not often think of day-to-day problems that others may experience. This statement remains true when dealing with those who are privileged from birth. White people’s way of life in their societies is presented as an objectively proper one (Chen, 2017). White privileges affect people of all ethnic groups, albeit in a different manner. It is a norm for every citizen of that country to strive to live such a life, otherwise, they might be deemed to be unfitting.
Whiteness is often met with denial from the side of those who fall into this category. This phenomenon occurs partially due to the blending of social norms with the promotion of white values (Chen, 2017). Even when people do not strive to uphold a framework that favors white individuals, oppression may occur unintentionally. Mere exposure to the concept of whiteness is, in fact, rarely beneficial, as it does not cause people to actively resist whiteness (Chen, 2017). The normativity is subconscious, so many white people do not consider themselves as a part of that group but instead prefer to abstract themselves from generalization, despite benefitting from being white (Winings, 2017). The difficulties in defining whiteness or accepting its existence effectively prevent its eradication.
It must be noted that people have developed behavioral patterns and emotional responses as a way to protect said whiteness subconsciously. One of the most common arguments against whiteness is the fact that white people themselves do not perceive benefits that stem from their skin color (Winings, 2019). Moreover, mentioning white privilege can lead people to turn to denial. Winings (2019, p. 189) describes white fragility as a response to accusations in benefitting from inherent unfair advantages showing as “a range of defensive behaviors and emotions including anger, fear, and guilt.” Sometimes, even a mention of whiteness can cause a person to become hostile since it can be perceived as a threat to their way of life (Chen, 2017). Whiteness will remain an issue as long as its acknowledgment will cause a strong negative reaction within society.
Western countries have a long history of dualistic world views that have been linked with religion and societal norms for generations. Cultural norms that stem from art, literature, and, for some countries, even laws, depict a white person as the ideal for human behavior and an image to aspire to (Winings, 2019). The promotion of whiteness on a subconscious level occurs practically in every instance of Western culture. People born in white-majority countries, such as the United Kingdom will experience the effects of whiteness despite their skin color, leading to the adoption of widespread beliefs of the localized culture (Winings, 2019). Religious traditions stemming from white cultures permeate many modern holidays, events, and significant historical hallmarks.
The Detrimental Impact of Whiteness
Undoubtfully, the existence of systemic racism causes many harmful experiences for people of color living in Western countries and to some even outside of said communities. Such inequality is harmful to the harmonious progress of society, as it causes rifts among people who otherwise have similar goals. While white people rarely consider themselves as a part of a racial group, people of color are often categorized into such (Winings, 2019). Through this approach, white people only assist with the creation of a standalone community that opposes theirs.
The normativity of whiteness that causes the popular culture to represent only the majority is also harmful to people of color. Yarna (2017) states that “there are corrosive effects of being excluded from mainstream culture, as it is destructive to self morale.” The image of a successful person that is linked with being white is forced upon others through almost every information outlet, often preventing critical thinking regarding the subject on the foundational level.
One of the most noticeable effects of whiteness that causes not only suffering, but the actual loss of lives, is law enforcement and its practices. This fact is especially true for the United Kingdom since the past decades were marked with high immigration rates that drawn different cultural communities closer, revealing deep-seated hostilities stemming from miscommunication and outdated stereotypes. This notion goes to the point where attention to police-related crimes against these groups is drawn in a different light, presenting a danger to the fairness of judicial processes (Garner, 2017). Police officers may be forced to make judgments on the fly to save lives, yet such decisions can not be based on one’s race.
There is a misconception that white supremacy does not exist outside of the far-right groups. Malone (2021) argues that when whiteness is a norm, it becomes“dangerous to non-white groups” through the suppression of different opinions and cultures. This often invisible form of white supremacy causes other groups to experience discrimination in almost all aspects of their daily lives. The recognition and respect towards those who are outside of one’s social circles are the first steps towards the eventual disintegration of white supremacy.
However, whiteness has an adverse effect on white people as well. Homogenization of people of European descent might possess harmful effects on the elimination of whiteness, as it is a mistake to consider them as having the same cultural, social, and economic background (Chen, 2017). As a part of many campaigns throughout the educational facilities to change the dominating position of privileged white students, some socioeconomic factors might have been underrepresented. White children who came from low-income households and did not benefit from their whiteness due to life circumstances were left neglected (Morris, 2021). Overreliance on racial constructs that stems from the permeating effects of whiteness on society has led to the neglect of socioeconomic factors as the basis for equality measurements. This significant flaw in the system reveals the fact that the deconstruction of whiteness should lie in elevating others to the same level of quality of life instead of purposefully ignoring a portion of problems.
Examples of Presentation of Whiteness in Media
It is impossible to discuss the topic without reviewing some of the most recent examples of the representation of whiteness in media coverage. Despite having many examples in media and art, the best highlight of the whiteness’ effects can be provided via lawsuits that many people have found scandalous. Based on the defendants’ and prosecutors’ races, some cases lead to outcomes based on unjust preferences inherent to the judicial system itself (Perry and Whitehead, 2020). There are other ways through which whiteness is causing a further racial divide. After a massive wave of worldwide protests against racism in law enforcement in 2020, the UK was accused of insufficient opposition against white supremacy movements (Rights experts condemn UK racism report attempting to “normalize white supremacy,” 2021). Being one of the core structures of a country, lawmaking institutions that favor whiteness promote non-compliance with the law.
In the United Kingdom, the percentage of Black people who died in custody is disproportionate to the percentage of their population in the country (Afzal, 2020). Incidents similar to George Floyd’s case have happened in the country before several times, yet they were given very little attention from the media (Afzal, 2020). Despite revealing that the police did use excessive force in many of such cases, not many police officers were persecuted, as the majority was either acquitted or given shortened sentences (Afzal, 2020). This troublesome tendency shows that Western countries where white supremacy is evident have trouble with proper responses to such crimes.
It can be argued that the entire system is built to assist with such behavior. Afzal (2020) states that “stop-and-search powers have disproportionately targeted BAME people,” leading to them being overrepresented among imprisoned populations in the United Kingdom. At the same time, many cases of aggression against people of color yet continue to pass unnoticed and are accepted as permissible (Bahia, 2021). Although there are efforts to counteract such acts of injustice, the UK law enforcement system is yet to become free of prejudice.
In 2021, the coverage of one particular event caused many controversies over the notion of whiteness. The case against Kyle Rittenhouse created a major dispute among people from many communities, even those outside of the United States. Some of these disputes led to the proposition to change the laws regarding self-defense, based mainly on the perceived benefits of whiteness in Rittenhouse’s situation (Most, 2021). The defendant has received n immense financial and public support that helped him with establishing a clear self-defense case (Most, 2021). As a white kid, he could be easily perceived as a victim in this case due to his innocent appearance (Most, 2021). The judge of this case, Bruce Schroeder, can also be deemed as a supporter of whiteness, as he is described as biased against victims from this case (Most, 2021). Although victims were white as well, the defendant’s whiteness played a much more prominent role in creating an image of a naive boy who did not mean to harm them.
Moving Away From Whiteness
These cases present an apparent necessity to take drastic action to prevent further escalation of divisiveness within society. However, with the established norms and the path some political figures continue to pursue, it might be troublesome to find a safe and rational way for de-escalation. Nowadays, scientists are actively seeking ways to expose factors that contribute to disparity to remove the racial bias and share the knowledge of their detrimental impact (Chen, 2017). Some scholars even claim that the focus on whiteness promotes it, as it may give people the foundation for the development of negative racial stereotypes (Chen, 2017). Understanding and sharing the fact that people have more in common than just skin color is a crucial step toward unity and the gradual elimination of whiteness.
In the meantime, there are structures that must be corrected to elevate all groups from their positions of minorities. There are programs that move society in the right direction, such as the Employment Equity initiative, although racialized groups are yet to overcome the existing barriers (Chen, 2017). Moreover, whiteness needs to be adequately analyzed without focusing on separation. Instead, a method for unification should be applied to achieve desired outcomes without causing divisiveness.
Policies that are perceived as anti-white have an effect with similar connotations as white privileges themselves. Deeming one race as possessing harmful qualities en masse is as dangerous of an idea as the current oppression of some minority groups and does not resolve the issue (Chen, 2017). This factor is especially well-defined within the current political landscape of European countries, as the divide on that topic can cause major political alliances to break. Chotiner (2019) claims that “the left is too reliant on racial explanations for political trends.” Elevation of one ethnic group at the cost of the others’ well-being or even lives will only cause greater polarization (Chotiner, 2019). Cultures differ greatly, and this diversity needs to be preserved within each community through the development of mutual respect instead of promoting hatred for other groups (Chotiner, 2019). Nonetheless, there are sacrifices to be made in order to achieve equality among all groups within a country.
Conclusion
In conclusion, whiteness cannot be efficiently eliminated with the current approach, and there is an apparent necessity to study it with the goal of creating harmonious existence in society for all its members. It is a highly divisive notion that outlines unfairness stemming from past cultural norms that were created and continue to be upheld by people from white ethnic groups, even if subconsciously. There are critical implications of such enforcement, as it is both taken for granted by some and being actively persecuted by others, polarizing society and causing hostility. White privilege causes division that is harmful to all parties involved, as it increases radicalization within society and prevents the growth of an individual due to severe disparities in opportunities. People need to understand that they are humans first, and not white or black.
It is difficult to resolve the issue with whiteness in society, as not everyone is able or willing to acknowledge its impact. Moreover, research regarding the topic continues to evolve and is yet to come to a definite conclusion on the best method of moving away from this notion. Many studies remain focused on highlighting white privileges while doing little to seek ways to lift other ethnical groups. Instead, it might be more beneficial to focus on helping other groups with receiving the same treatment in all instances where whiteness gives one an advantage. Recognition is only the first step, and the next ones are yet to be taken in a proper direction. The unequal justice that is present in the United Kingdom and other countries with the white majority hinders the development of society.
People of color suffer not only day-to-day discrimination but also expect to be treated unfairly in courts. The trials presented in this essay depict how whiteness acts as a divisive factor, causing people to lose their trust in the judicial system and become less cooperative with governmental structures. In order to restore faith in fairness and justice, it is essential for society to move away from whiteness that permeates every aspect of Western cultures. Society cannot achieve its full potential with such severe inequalities in place.
Reference List
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Davids, N. et al. (2021) ‘White privilege: what it is, what it means and why understanding it matters,’ The Conversation. Web.
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