Importantly, people from a range of backgrounds find this concept very confronting and difficult to understand in the context of their own as well as others’ health outcomes.

Privilege Debate:

This week the controversial topic of white privilege was presented within the lecture. As a social construct it is a potentially divisive topic. Importantly, people from a range of backgrounds find this concept very confronting and difficult to understand in the context of their own as well as others’ health outcomes. In order to investigate our perspectives on this construct it is important to have discussions about what it means, whether or not it exists, and how it might affect the health outcomes of all Australians.

So let’s have a debate! 

The purpose of this activity is to expose you to different perspectives on controversial health sociology topics and to give you the opportunity to become aware of your own perspectives. In week 1 we explored how important it was to ‘know thyself’!

Discuss the following points with explanation.

White privilege is a concept created by people in minority groups who blame others because they have chosen not to take the initiative to work hard and overcome the restrictions that everyone faces.

White privilege is not about people who are Caucasian at all. It is a social construct that demonstrates the impact of the dominant culture in Australia on the health, well-being and outcomes for Australians who are not Caucasian.

White privilege does not exist because race does not exist. Being Caucasian does not provide people with an immediate set of advantages. Such a perception is a myth.

The purpose of discussing white privilege is simply to make people who are Caucasian feel guilty about things they didn’t do and were not a part of. Such discussions and constructs are actually a form of racism towards Caucasian people and does nothing to create equity or equality.

White privilege, as a result of colonisation, is the basis for the disadvantage and difficulties that many minority populations in Australia experience. If minority groups were offered the same privileges on a daily basis they would not suffer poor social determinants and therefore poor health outcomes.