Privilege plays a role in the spread and prevention of Aids/HIV in heterosexual privilege. As a heterosexual, I have many privileges. I'm looked as normal and not an at risk person of having Aids. I can give blood and not be denied by institutions such as the red cross.
The privilege of white power I also receive just by being an American. I have the resources and education to control Aids. Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa don't have that because they have been exploited by "white countries" during the colonial period. That has facilitated Aids to spread and to not be controlled.
As a society, we need to look at these problems from a global scale. Sexual health is one of those issues that needs to be looked at from the bigger perspective that some groups of people are privileged over others.
Good post!
ReplyDeleteI also generally agreed with what McIntosh was saying in her essay on white privilege. Certainly, if there is a group of disadvantaged people, then there must be a group of advantaged people too.
However, I disagree with the author in that for everyone to be equal, white people have to give up our privileges or that we shouldn't use them at all. If we work towards equality for everyone, then all human beings should be able to enjoy the same privileges that we do. I don't know. I just seemed almost like she was saying that if not everyone can enjoy the same freedoms that white people do, then no one should until we fix the system.
But these disparities certainly affect STDs spread across the world. We should all have the same access to healthcare, education, and preventative measure. Halting STD spread benefits all of us.
I agree with your disagreement. I to feel that just because whites may be privileged that does not mean we should not use them or throw them out. What privileges whites do have should and are being used to the betterment of society to increase the privilege of others.
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