The Invisible Whiteness of Being: Whiteness, White Supremacy, White Privilege, and Racism.

[Skidmore]

If you are ever near a library, look up the full article. And read it.

http://psycnet.apa.org/record/2006-10123-002

Citation
Sue, D. W. (2006). The Invisible Whiteness of Being: Whiteness, White Supremacy, White Privilege, and Racism. In M. G. Constantine & D. W. Sue (Eds.), Addressing racism: Facilitating cultural competence in mental health and educational settings (pp. 15-30). Hoboken, NJ, US: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Abstract
In our society, Whiteness is a default standard; the background of the figure-ground analogy from which all other groups of color are compared, contrasted, and made visible. From this color standard, racial/ethnic minorities are evaluated, judged, and often found to be lacking, inferior, deviant, or abnormal. Because Whiteness is considered to be normative and ideal, it automatically confers dominance on fair skinned people in our society. Whiteness would not be problematic if it weren't (a) predicated on White supremacy, (b) imposed overtly and covertly on People of Color, and (c) made invisible to those who benefit from its existence. Seen from this vantage point, Whiteness is an invisible veil that cloaks its racist deleterious effects through individuals, organizations, and society. The result is that White people are allowed to enjoy the benefits that accrue to them by virtue of their skin color. Thus, Whiteness, White supremacy, and White privilege are three interlocking forces that disguise racism so it may allow White people to oppress and harm persons of color while maintaining their individual and collective advantage and innocence. If we are to overcome, or at least minimize the forces of racism, we must make Whiteness visible. As long as Whiteness remains invisible and is equated with normality and superiority, People of Color will continue to suffer from its oppressive qualities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

[pnwmom]

1. Thanks, Skidmore! This looks interesting. n/t

[Skidmore]

2. I was introduced to Sue's work in graduate school.

He has researched and published extensively on the invisibility of whiteness. Like the color of water...pervasive and often odorless and flavorless.

[Bucky]

3. There is a couple of leaps in logic there that don't track

Because Whiteness is considered to be normative and ideal, it automatically confers dominance on fair skinned people in our society.

Sorry, that's just not historically accurate. There are plenty of societies in history for the dominant group was a minority within the society. In Egypt the default for Egyptian referred to the Hellenistic elites, not the North African peasantry. For generations in Syria the Shiite ruling class was far more visible to the outside world then the Sunni-majority.

The default assumption of whiteness is specifically a function of the white power racist establishment, not the simple majority status of white Americans. Cultural and political efforts to portray persons of color as equal constituents within the American way of life (from car ads to the Voting Rights Act) are progressive necessities and a benefit to the slow racial healing process in our culture.

[Skidmore]

4. ...

He examines the context of US society. Can't carry on a long discussion. Just offering a perspective.

[Bucky]

5. I'm sure it's a useful contribution to the question of race in America

Just as a history teacher, I'm a little suspicious of any unitary framework for examining American culture.

Because of the peculiar (and largely justified) American obsession with race and racism, we tend to underplay a lot of the traditional Anglo American cultural features that encouraged racial liberalization and liberation. But obviously the historical pushes against slavery and Jim Crowism were significantly stronger then the drive to preserve those two obnoxious systems.

As Dr. King pointed out in 1963, desegregation and the Civil Rights Movement were very much a combination of the inherent logic and culmination of the American dream. We ignore that or dismiss that to the detriment of the Democratic Party and our Progressive causes

[Skidmore]

6. He is a professor of counseling

dealing in working with a multicultural population. Sorry. This time of the day finds me in much pain so I will check out of discussion.

[Cha]

7. Mahalo for this article, Skidmore!