Race At First Sight

When looking at Peggy McIntosh’s white checklist, it actually took me a while to think about which ones applied to me. I’m “full Mexican” but because my skin color is very light, I’m often mistaken for white or another race. In fact, one of the main reasons I had such a difficult time reading through the list is because often there are times where I forget that I’m technically not considered part of the “white race”. Looking through the list, I didn't just consider my race, but also my skin color. This leads me to believe that the idea behind racism isn't just about what you’re categorized as, but how you act and your outward appearance. Much like how people watching The Cosby Show “forgot” that they were an African American family, it sometimes slips my mind that I'm not white but what I do is participate in a normalized “white culture”. There are many factors that play into how someone is viewed in regards to their race. I don’t portray a stereotypical Latina and I hardly have an accent, and in many ways I have assimilated to the “normal” way of living in the United States. I've lived in many different states growing up, as my dad was in the Army, and often my friends were white, so the “white culture” was always around me. And while there are things that my family does that are to a Mexican heritage, it is minimal. Outside of our home however, it’s difficult to blend into what is “normal”.  My parents don’t have the same advantage as I do, as they do look more Mexican and in particular, there have been times where they and I have been followed around stores. And at first, it seemed odd to me because I hadn't actually been exposed to that, but my parents, who have grown up as actually visibly different, they are subject to a different treatment. So as far as the idea of white privilege, I do think that in some aspects, it is more than just being identified as a certain race, it's also how you look and how you act.