Reflecting on Experience

In the U.S., I try to be constantly aware of just how privileged I am as an upper middle class white person, but for some reason, I did not think that I would feel that privilege as much here. I think I had the blinders on because I thought of Townsville, Australia as a tropical paradise that was cohesive, economically successful, and did not have problems associated with unearned privilege between races. However, I quickly learned that I was very wrong and that I seriously underestimated the multiculturalism that is present in this country, and the implications of such diversity. I now know that in Australia, being American is not the real privilege. It is the fact that I am a white American that really demonstrates unearned privilege.

I am taking two Indigenous Studies courses here at James Cook and they have both really opened my eyes to the privilege that is associated with being white in Australia. I was aware of the Aboriginal communities in Australia, but in the western-based reading about Indigenous Australians that I did before I came, most focused on the equality that has been achieved in terms of incorporating Indigenous Histories into school curriculum here and legislation allowing equal access to resources and education for Indigenous Australians. Most of the articles discussed the movements that took place in the 1960s (largely catalyzed by the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S.) and the subsequent struggle that resulted in the entrenchment of equality in society. To me, this sounded like the same path that the U.S. went through. However, in the reading I did about Australia, it appeared that although inequalities were present before the movement for equality, the issues were dealt with and are no longer a problem in Australia.

I suppose this was naive of me to believe, because change is rarely carried out quickly. But now, I understand the ways in which inequality and unearned privilege are still an issue. As with minority communities the U.S., many Australian laws exist to protect Indigenous Australians from discrimination. However, the implementation of these new laws resulted in indigenous communities being perceived as a drain on the government and led to white resentment of indigenous peoples for the progress that their communities have achieved.

One example of this relates to the open container laws in Townsville. A facet of Indigenous Australian culture includes drinking alcohol on the streets. This became a cultural practice when segregation was commonplace in Australia, because Aboriginal peoples were not allowed in local pubs. When de jure segregation ended, Indigenous Australians continued to drink publicly because that is what their communities did and they did not feel welcome in the "white" pubs. This in itself shows white privilege because as a white person, I never have to worry about going to a pub in which I do not feel welcome. As Peggy McIntosh said, "conditions of daily experience" are indicative of my privilege in Australia, and it is very difficult to take those privileges for granted.

Even though indigenous peoples were not attending the historically white pubs, members of the white community complained about the public drinking among aboriginals and laws were implemented to prevent indigenous peoples from drinking on the streets altogether. If an indigenous person was found drinking in public, he or she would be fined or prosecuted, while white individuals were not. However, with the increased push for equality, the law became equally applied to all people, including members of the white community. While this is often documented in history as an example of equality and the reduction of white privilege, the law resulted in more resentment and negative perceptions of Aboriginal Australians, as whites began to resent aboriginal peoples for ruining their ability to drink on the beaches or in parks during barbecues. Because of this resentment, indigenous peoples often still face discrimination and struggle to get jobs because members of the majority group think that they are given enough and do not need to "take" anymore from white people.

As a white person in Australia, I do not have to worry about being seen as a burden on the community or being blamed for laws that have been enacted, even though Australian history is full of white people taking land and life from Indigenous Australians.

McIntosh, Peggy. "White privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack." In Ed. Paula S. Rothenberg, Race Class and Gender in the United States: An Integrated Study 4, 21988. 165-169.