Reflecting on Experience

Growing up in a small, primarily white community, I never really noticed the unearned, white privileges I have been utilizing, which is what the culture wants us to do. This concept fits well with McIntosh’s writing in that I fit what she describes as ‘white privilege’ (1988). As I got older and began going to the city more, I realized there was a noticeable difference in the way I was treated versus minority groups. When I contemplated studying abroad in Australia, I imagined this pristine, surfer town on the beach that did not have major problems seen in the US like social status or racial inequality, which was naïve of me. I have come to realize there is a gap between classes and races, especially in white Australian and Indigenous populations. In my Indigenous course, we learned about how police will follow or pull over a car just because they are of a different color. This racial tension really struck me because it is similar to the discrimination that happened in the US between white Americans and African Americans! A few Australians I have spoken with described tensions as “not as bad as what is happening in America (referencing the events in Ferguson).” Although tensions are present, they are actively trying to create more equality between the races. For instance, before most presentations people recognize the original Indigenous owners of the land the building is built on. A few other Australians have verified that there are also many socioeconomic separations within the community. Thinking back, I realize that I have had similar privileges/experiences as McIntosh and being a white American in Australia comes with some advantages but includes disadvantages. 

Slide from my first Indigenous course lecture acknowledging the owners of the land JCU is located on. This recognition is part of how Australia has tried to create peace between it's peoples.

 While at uni, I have encountered a few of the ideas brought to light by McIntosh’s article. I have noticed that many students primarily associate with those of the same nationality, so at meals there are clear Australian and American tables. For the most part, we can arrange to be with those of the same race/nationality, with a few exceptions (1988). This is a disadvantage for us because we want to make Australian friends, but many of them do not want to get too close to us because we are only here for a semester. Other than that, as international students, we are not treated very differently, except for when Australians are curious about how something is done in the US. I have never been stopped from entering a building or treated improperly by anyone here, but I have seen a clear difference in how people treat or avoid Indigenous peoples and vice versa.

Being a part of the greater community has proven more of an experience where being a white American comes with possible advantages. Many of the people I have encountered while volunteering at the Townsville Hospital seem to have the idea that people in America are wealthy and intelligent, which is not always the case. I have had a few people comment on how smart I am because of what my life goals are and the classes that I am taking while at JCU, but they do not know me well enough to truly judge my intelligence. While in the Children’s Ward, I had an interesting conversation with 2 other volunteers and the school teacher about both the US and Australia. They talked about the healthcare system, where in state hospitals everyone gets free care, but they pay for it in taxes. The more wealthy Australians get a large portion of their salary taken out for Medicaid and other taxes, while the poorer individuals pay a lot less. It seems that this taxation creates a void between the social classes, similar to America. The school teacher proceeded to introduce me to 2 of the students because she was excited for them to hear my accent! This has occurred to me more than once, especially people pointing out that “I’m American,” so I definitely get singled out and treated a little differently than others around me in a setting where there aren’t a lot of exchange students present. I also feel that they are more willing to explain things to me that I may not understand because 'I'm American.'

Overall, being a white American in Australia does not have a lot of unearned privileges associated with it and I have not been discriminated against while here, but there are some clear similarities in how minority groups are treated in both the US and Australia where these privileges likely come into play.

 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.