I have, on several occasions, warned the younger, woke, an angry generation that one day, the machine would come for them. And lo and behold, it has. Although I have to admit, I didn’t think it would be this soon. I had given it another 15 years, 10 at best. Man, was I wrong?
Intersectionality works best when there is a wide range of candidates with different grievances. It should also be able to supply people who have been harmed by the insult.
Arizona State University published a checklist about Black Male Privilege. There is no escape. Next year it will not be your turn, but don’t worry.
Campus Reform maintains this list as part of its Project Humanities initiative. These are Black Male Privileges.
- “When I read African American History textbooks, I will learn mainly about black men.”
- “I can rely on the fact that in the nearly 100-year history of national civil rights organizations such as the NAACP and the Urban League, virtually all of the executive directors have been male.”
- “I will be taken more seriously as a political leader than black women.”
- “I can be a part of a black liberation organization like the Black Panther Party where an ‘out’ rapist Eldridge Cleaver can assume [a] leadership position.”
- “I have the ability to define black women’s beauty by European standards in terms of skin tone, hair, and body size. In comparison, black women rarely define me by European standards of beauty in terms of skin tone, hair, or body size.”
- “I do not have to worry about the daily hassles of having my hair conforming to any standard image of beauty the way black women do.”
- “I have the privilege of not wanting to be a virgin, but preferring that my wife or significant other be a virgin.”
- “I can live in a world where a polygamy is still an option for men in the United States as well as around the world.”
- “I come from a tradition of humor that is based largely on insulting and disrespecting women; especially mothers.”
- “Most of [the] lyrics I listen to in hip-hop perpetuate the ideas of males dominating women, sexually and socially.”
- “I can believe that the success of the black family is dependent on returning men to their historical place within the family, rather than in promoting policies that strengthen black women’s independence, or that provide social benefits to black children.”
- “I have the privilege of believing that feminism is anti-black.”
- “I will make significantly more money as a professional athlete than members of the opposite sex will.”
- “If I go to an HBCU, I will have incredible opportunities to exploit black women.”
- “In college, black male professors will be involved in interracial marriages at much higher rates than members of the opposite sex will.”
- “I have the privilege of marrying outside of the race at a much higher rate than black women marry.”
- “I have the privilege of knowing men who are physically or sexually abusive to women and yet I still call them friends.”
You, sir, may be looking at these things and saying to yourself, “These don’t apply to me. I don’t think or act that way.” That may be true, but you’re still guilty. Sorry, that’s how it works these days. But you may have an out. You can always try the following escape clauses:
- I will do better going forward.
- I am still learning and want to grow
- I will do the work.
- Or you can just undergo the two-hour course, which explores “everyday manifestations of privilege.” If you want to find it, just look for “Humanity 101 in the Workplace: Lessons in Privilege and Bias.”
Do not feel excluded. People who aren’t disabled, Christians, thin people, and heterosexuals all have their own checklist.
While people are not penalized for having privileges, there is a disclaimer that states that almost everyone who reads this article had some type of privilege. If you’re in one of the three marginalized groups (poor, ill-health or in need), you can still access the internet. This allows you both to confer and to demonstrate privilege.
It seems like almost everyone isn’t getting a break. Now, we are down to three marginalized groups.
The course is not available only at ASU. Campus Reform reports the course has been taught by ASU, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, and the Arizona Department of Education.
Black men at ASU must now apologize and be criticized by someone. They won’t be satisfied no matter what you do and will constantly criticize you for the little things.
All new members are welcome with this in mind.
