So I got this link via Twitter about Black male privilege. I'm usually skeptical when I see such writings particularly when they come from males. So called "Feminist" men can be very annoying. They, like much of their female counterparts, often assume that any male that challenges what they have to say are misogynist and have no clue about sexism. On more than a few occasions I've had give a verbal beat down to these "men" for making such assumptions. So it was with great skepticism that I read this piece entitled "Black Male Privilege". This piece gives a rather lengthy list of things that the author believes Black men benefit from at the detriment of black women (his definition of privilege). So how is this definition constructed?
Privileges that have nothing to do with what a person has earned, but rather are based entirely on who a person is, or what color they are.
Male privilege...is based on attitudes or actions that come at the expense of women.
So taking the above we would conclude that the author believes that Black Male Privilege are attitudes and actions that benefit them and come at the expense of women that are not eared but based entirely on who they are.
The author hedges his position by aptly pointing out that his list may contain material that is applicable to all men rather than black men in particular. There's no problem with that except that in my mind if we're going to talk about black male privilege then one ought to focus entirely on those which is extended to black men in particular. But that's my bag others may disagree and ultimately it may not matter. Anyway, on to the list. I won't highlight all 94 items generally due to my agreement with them but I will discuss the ones I have particular issues with:
1. I don't have to choose my race over my sex in political matters.
Well that's not necessarily true. But my position is that black women have allowed themselves to be put in a position where they are being asked to assert gender over race. I believe that to be a setup by the larger white feminist movement that sought to align themselves with "women of color" as a political means of expanding their base. We could also easily ask "which" political matters? This question can only arise IF one defines issues of race as being EXCLUSIVE of issues of gender. If one does not buy into such an exclusion then such a position then such choices as presented above do not exist. Thus it is my position that instead of being a privilege of men it is a self-imposed burden black women have taken on at the behest of white feminists.
2. When I read African American History textbooks, I will learn mainly about black men.
That may be true but I don't see how this is a privilege and not an accident of circumstance. Circumstantially Black Men have been afforded the privilege of public leadership within Anti-Slavery movements and Black women were not by the circumstances of slavery. Secondly as with any "Celebrity" culture of history people not at the center of attention are often left out of the picture. For example Harriet Tubman is THE icon of the underground railroad. How many of us know of the men and women who helped maintain that system? That's the point. I'm not prepared to accept accident of circumstance as privilege. Furthermore this privilege depends entirely upon who's history book is being used. Many such books are not created by black people. Thus this supposed privilege is perhaps really something that does not benefit black men or women and is arguably a tool of oppression of both.
3. When I learn about the Civil Rights Movement & the Black Power Movements, most of the leaders that I will learn about will be black men.
I believe this position falls in the same trap as item 2. In fact IMHO there are more visible women of the Civil Rights era than there are from any previous era in African-American hostory. Is it equitable (not equal there is a difference)? Probably not but I see scholars posting a lot of material on a lot of "in the shadows" people of either gender.
5. I will be taken more seriously as a political leader than black women.
I'm 50/50 on this one. Might be my own bias but I take the value of political leadership based on the soundness of the arguments a person puts forth and the strength of their program. I see a lot of female political leaders who IMHO are more serious than many if not most of the men. That may be my own bias though. What I do think is important here is that males are by nature far more aggressive than females. Most people don't like hearing that but it's the truth. So a lot of that "seriousness" is a result of acknowledging powerful presences. That's a sociological argument that could be had. I'm willing to have it hence my 50/50 position.
6. Despite the substantial role that black women played in the Civil Rights Movement and Black Power Movement, currently there is no black female that is considered a "race leader".
There are a number of reasons for this. First is purely circumstantial. Since the author pointed out the lack of women in positions of visible leadership in the past it would make sense that as race became neutered as a leadership roll that the last remaining "race leaders" would be male. Secondly though, African-Americans have themselves to blame. We have collectively decided to neuter race arguments and race advocacy in general in favor of "diversity" and other wishy-washy, kumby-ya ideologies. Is it any shock then that race leadership of any kind is a dying breed? That said, in the more "radical" commmunities there are many females who are considered leaders. It's all in where you look.
7. I can live my life without ever having read black feminist authors, or knowing about black women's history, or black women's issues.
I agree you can go without reading black feminist authors, but the last two points are completely false today. Will the average Jamaal know black women's history in and out? Will they know every black women's issues in and out. No. But they also will not know black history in and out. The advent of mass media and the internet all but guarantees that black men well have some women's issues brought to their attention be it HIV, breast cancer, family leave, etc.
8. I can be a part of a black liberation organization like the Black Panther Party where an "out" rapist Eldridge Cleaver can assume leadership position.
What year is this?
11. I have the ability to define black women's beauty by European standards in terms of skin tone, hair, and body size. In comparison, black women rarely define me by European standards of beauty in terms of skin tone, hair, or body size.
Oh special pet peeve of mine. I hate, hate, hate the fact that black "Feminists" are on this "It's cool to be obese" trip. It is so out of line. This fellow needs to get off this wagon. It is totally unacceptable to buy into the fashion mag argument. The fashion industry with it's plethora of gay males appear to love underdeveloped women. If the author was not so fixated on white folks he would notice that the average straight black man loves him some thick. And let me be clear: thick not obese. We can argue the cultural implications of that but for the purposes of this piece anybody male or female who sets up the fit= European argument ought to be taken out back and caned.
Onto the other points. I'm not clear that judging a black woman (or any woman for that matter) based on the traits of another race of people is a privilege. I'd say it's a sign of self-hate if anything. Secondly since my experience shows the opposite to the author in regards to how black men are measured, I think he's wrong.I mean I've heard enough about black men who are "too black". I've heard enough about light skinned "pretty boys" and how some men are not suitable for reproduction cause the child may come out too dark and with "bad hair". Seriously. This point is so out of order.
12. I do not have to worry about the daily hassles of having my hair conforming to any standard image of beauty the way black women do.
No sir. I just cut most of it off. Try climbing that corporate ladder with natty dreds or a huge 'fro. Anyone see that CEO of Xerox? Black woman with *gasp* natural hair. So I think this point fails the priv. test simply due to the fact that black men do in fact have to live up to hair standards. The fact is though is that men and women are different. Different is good. Different is OK. Black women don't have to shave their faces. I could moan about that but I don't. How about we accept that men and women have different grooming requirements and it is what it is.
13. I do not have to worry about the daily hassles of being terrorized by the fear of gaining weight. In fact, in many instances bigger is better for my sex.
14. My looks will not be the central standard by which my worth is valued by members of the opposite sex.
I covered this before. I brook no excuses for men and women who are lazy and lack the will power to not eat junk and not exercise. I will repeat this for the hard of understanding: Men are visual creatures. It is hard wired that men respond to the physical first. Since we live in a monogamous society (yes I'm laughing too), that means it is the woman's job to keep that physical right. Deal with it. This is nature. Not privilege. Nature. Stop fighting nature.
Now we get to my absolute favorite part, sex. It is par for the course in most feminist commentary to discuss porn and to cast aspersion on other peoples sexual practices (except oddly those of gay men and women). The author goes in here as well:
15. I can purchase pornography that typically shows men defile women by the common practice of the "money shot.”
16. I can believe that causing pain during sex is connected with a woman's pleasure without ever asking her.
And this author knows the above how? Did he ask the specific women with semen on their faces? I know women who do not like "money shots" and other women who enjoy it. Secondly do the women have no agency here? Really was the woman involved have a gun held to her head to perform? What about all the amateur home made porn out there with wives, girlfriends and One Night Stands with semen on their faces? Were they coerced?
In the same light in regards to "pain". I know women that like pain. To give and take. There are women that enjoy being strapped up and beat. There are men that like being strapped up, beat and have their testicles stepped on. Seriously why is author even allowing himself to pass judgment on the sex lives of people he neither knows OR is involved in a consensual sexual relationship with? But this is common among feminists. You cannot judge what they do or say, but they are free to dictate how heterosexual men should enjoy themselves.
18. When it comes to sex if I say "No", chances are that it will not be mistaken for “Yes".
I think experience would show the author to be incorrect. I think it is unspoken but if a man says no to a woman who has decided that she wants him, that "no" is not taken seriously.
19. If I am raped, no one will assume that "I should have known better" or suggest that my being raped had something to do with how I was dressed.
I'm not so sure about this one. Clearly the man is not going to be questioned about how he was dressed, but I have heard on multiple occasions men who were accused of rape being told what they ought not to have done (or who they ought not to have done). In fact men, if raped (yes it happens) are usually not believed or ridiculed for being gay. Men who are accused of rape can be and often are arrested and jailed simply on a woman's say so. So in this case I think the "privilege" here is largely moot. A woman may be questioned about her "judgment" but the legal system is particularly good at protecting her and her identity.
20. I can use sexist language like bonin’, laying the pipe, hittin-it, and banging that convey images of sexual acts based on dominance and performance.
Sexist by who's judgement? Here we go again with the dictation of other people's (usually straight men's) speech. Sorry I don't buy that. Cause clearly then if a woman tells me to F**K HER GOOD. she's being sexist right?
21. I can live in a world where polygamy is still an option for men in the United States as well as around the world.
First: What year is this? Polygamy is not legal in the United States.
Second: Why is Polygamy sexist? Who made that determination? Oh right. If certain women don't like something, there it is.
22. In general, I prefer being involved with younger women socially and sexually
Lets see.. By nature women are in their prime breeding years in their late teens and early 20's. So the problem with this is what? Oh that's right we don't like nature. Nature's privilege. I'm going to agree with the author it is a male priv. And I don't see a problem with it. It would behoove women to understand nature and snag their desired male early the way nature intended. Failing that, they know the consequences. The choice is theirs. Don't you love a society with free choice? Hey look. I'm 'Old". I deal with the fact that certain women are now "off limits". I don't whine about it.
24. I have easy access to pornography that involves virtually any category of sex where men degrade women, often young women...26. When I consume pornography, I can gain pleasure from images and sounds of men causing women pain.
More with the porn BS. Again the author clearly is not aware of the length a breadth of the available material out there in which men and women are on the giving and receiving end of what most of us would consider degrading experiences. It's not the position of any of us to pass judgment on what consenting adults decide to do, record and make available to other consenting adults.
27. I come from a tradition of humor that is based largely on insulting and disrespecting women; especially mothers.
28. I have the privilege of not having black women, dress up and play funny characters- often overweight- that are supposed to look like me for the entire nation to laugh.
29. When I go to the movies, I know that most of the leads in black films are men. I also know that all of the action heroes in black film are men.
I don't quite get how 27 and 28 are privileges. Someone will need to explain those to me. I see how they are degrading to black women I just don't see how they are privileges to the sons of said women. On 29 all I can say is that not all leads are created equal. I have major issues with the characters that many black men play on TV.
36. Many of my favorite movies include images of strength that do not include members of the opposite sex and often are based on violence.
37. Many of my favorite genres of films, such as martial arts, are based on violence.
I'm split here. I don't see the problem with men seeking out and "fetishising" movies and other images that re-enforce their self images (real, perceived or desired) as alpha males. That is natural. Just as I would not have a problem with women seeking out and fetishising movies that affirm themselves in whatever means they see fit. I'll agree with the author in regards to violence, but again it should be understood that by nature the male of the species is aggressive and seeks out aggressive displays in order to promote himself to women and establish himself among other males. I don't think there is a problem with that because I don't believe in fighting nature. Should women be shown being violent and aggressive? That's a discussion I'm willing to have but I believe that by and large you'll find a widespread distaste for that. So I'm split on this one.
38. I have the privilege of popularizing or consuming the idea of a thug, which is based on the violence and victimization of others with virtually no opposition from other men.
I don't see this as a privilege. I see this as a cold calculated hit against the black male to lead to jail and a means to trick black women into devaluing true black manhood.
39. I have the privilege to define black women as having "an attitude" without referencing the range of attitudes that black women have.
40. I have the privilege of defining black women's attitudes without defining my attitudes as a black man.
Maybe it's a summary statement but I think the author knows exactly what is meant by "attitude." Yes it's a generalization, but I believe it is a generalization within' cultural context.
41. I can believe that the success of the black family is dependent on returning men to their historical place within the family, rather than in promoting policies that strengthen black women's independence, or that provide social benefits to black children.
Not sure how this is a privilege but I'll go with it. The problem here is twofold:
1) A feminist journal recently showed that African-American men (who they interviewed) were most likely to hold egalitarian attitudes towards gender. Shocking I know.
2) The author's position presupposes that the argument for men to have this "historical position" is bad. It pre-supposes that "black women's independence" is "good" and presupposes that such a "historical position" does not provide social benefits to black children. Those are a lot of unproven suppositions.
42. I have the privilege of believing that a woman cannot raise a son to be a man.
As a man raised by a single mother I hold the above statement to be true. I love my mother and she did a lot for me, but I missed a LOT of things by not having a man in the house. I had to learn a lot from imitating other non-familiar men, reading, trial and error and the good fortune to have been exposed to stand up black men. That does not mean that having a father in the house guarantees success or some miracle child. I hold that the acceptance of father as "weekend playmate" and "wallet" is a serious blow to black manhood.
44. I have the privilege of believing that before slavery gender relationships between black men and women were perfect.
That would be the general privilege that all African-Americans have to fantasize about Africa and Africans in general. I see no gender privilege here just all around confusion.
45. I have the privilege of believing that feminism is anti-black.
Maybe not, but there are many feminists who are in fact anti-male, anti-Black, Anti-Black male and anti-straight male.
48. I have the privilege of believing that black women are different sexually than other women and judging them negatively based on this belief.
Different how? Seriously I'm confused by this one.
49. I will make significantly more money as a professional athlete than members of the opposite sex will.
Business really. In business professional athletics the salaries are directly related to the money an organization pulls in. Female athletics do not currently pull in the same money as their male counterparts (unless we want to discuss NASCAR where there are no "female races"). So salaries are going to be different. If female athletes in say basketball were to compete on the same teams as men, they would be crushed. I don't say this to be smug. It's just known that males, particularly when we are dealing with those in tip top shape, are taller and stronger than females, Females would be warming the benches. So again this is about nature. I'm not one for fighting or arguing about nature. In situations such as NASCAR we can ask whether Danica Patrick is paid equitably. That is does she make the kind of money someone with her experience, wins, etc would get paid?
54. I can touch, hug, or be emotionally expressive with other men while watching sports without observers perceiving this behavior as sexual.
I'm confused here. Really. E-mail me the explanation of this.
58. I can rest assured that most of the coaches -even in predominately-female sports within my race are male.
Is this true? The few times I have watched WNBA games I have not seen male coaches. For the record I do not follow baseball, basketball or football so my position is based on limited observation.
59. I am able to play sports outside without my shirt on and it not be considered a problem.
60. I am essentially able to do anything inside or outside without my shirt on, whereas women are always required to cover up.
I am TOTALLY for a no shirt rule for women. Totally. Pass the petition and the pen.
61. I have the privilege of being a part of a sex where the mutilation and disfigurement of a girl’s genitalia is used to deny her sexual sensations or to protect her virginity for males.
This would not be a privilege of men. Burden on those women, yes but not a privilege of men. Why? Men in those societies are generally circumsised as well. Not defending the practice at all but the point it out here.
63. I have the privilege of not being able to name one female leader in Africa or Asia, past or present, that I pay homage to the way I do male leaders in Africa and/or Asia.
Really? Really? I'm not even going to comment on that. No I will. Ellen Sirleaf, Yaa Assantewa, the unnamed black woman who teamed up with a black king in a slave ship to overthrow the slaver. We're done. And I'm not including the Caribbean or South America.
66. In college, I will have the opportunity to date outside of the race at a much higher rate than black women will.
That's a privilege and not a choice available to both genders? Really?
68. I know that the further I go in education the more success I will have with women.
Privilege or burden? The male of the species usually has to prove that he is:
1) Verile 2) Able to protect 3) Provide shelter. In our society in which straight physicality as indicators of "fitness to breed" has been eclipsed by ability to make money by non-physical means a higher educated male USUALLY is indicative of the last two "requirements". Of course that means a male must spend an inordinate amount of time collecting money and the like to get that status. On the flip side females ONLY have to show that they are fertile and "look good" to snag a man. Seems that the privilege here is on the female as she generally has to "do less" to successfully snag a mate.
71. In college, I will experience a level of status and prestige that is not offered to black women even though black women may outnumber me and out perform me academically.
First I've heard this one. Of course if the latter part of the statement is true, that black women will outnumber me, then it stands to reason that my elevated status as college man is warranted. If it is in fact warranted due to the "great odds" against me, then it's not a privilege is it? Well at least not an unearned one.
73. What is defined as "News" in Black America is defined by men.
More specifically,White men. Ask yourself reader how many black blogs regularly and normally report news and opinion originating in black press other black bloggers or other black sources generally not deemed "acceptable" by white press?
75. I can dismissively refer to another persons grievances as ^*ing.
And when it is then what is it?
77. I have the privilege of marrying outside of the race at a much higher rate than black women marry
Again with the personal choices. Statistics don't necessarily confer privilege. There is nothing other than the willingness of adults to prevent anyone from breeding with and marrying whoever they please. I'm not encouraging this behavior but I won't join this particular camp of policing peoples personal sexual behavior.
78. My "strength" as a man is never connected with the failure of the black family, whereas the strength of black women is routinely associated with the failure of the black family.
Question: Is a strong black man (whatever that is) ever defined by his ability to be without the mother of his children? Is he defined by him declaring his non desire to "need/want some woman."? I ask this because the "strong black men" I know (not speaking of the so called "thugs") all have as a shared characteristic the desire to have a "strong" woman by his side and to provide for his children. On the flip side I see a common thread among self declared "Strong black woman" a theme of "don't need no man." The proverbial "attitude" alluded to in an earlier point.
80. Chances are I will be defined as a "good man" by things I do not do as much as what I do. If I don't beat, cheat, or lie, then I am a considered a "good man". In comparison, women are rarely defined as "good women" based on what they do not do.
Really? In what universe? Sarcasm aside I do think that the author has stumbled across an issue of language usage. I think the deeper issue that he has alluded to is our propensity to define other black people by the absence of negative traits rather than the presence of positive ones.
That said though I still fail to see how this is a privilege. After all who wants to be sized up by a set of negatives?
83. In the Black Church, the majority of the pastoral leadership is male.
84. In the Black Church Tradition, most of the theology has a male point of view. For example, most will assume that the man is the head of household.
Two points here:
1) You take on the slave master's religion so don't be mad when it marginalizes you.
2) Even in black original religions males are generally seen as head of household even if not seen as head of lineage. That goes back to the natural state of males as natures protectors. He is the gateway because he is first line of defense. This point goes back to my question in regards to the presupposition that man as head of household is definitively bad.
85. I do not have to worry about being considered a traitor to my race if I call the police on a member of the opposite sex.
86. I have the privilege of knowing men who are physically or sexually abusive to women and yet I still call them friends.
a dubious privilege if there was one. Black men rarely call the police on black women because it is generally shameful to admit one is being abused by a female even though it happens as frequently as male on female abuse (if not in severity). I'm not sure what research the author is using but I would wonder exactly how widespread the idea of police calling as race traitor is and how much of this is out of legitimate concern over the common railroading of black males through the "justice" system for relatively minor offenses.
In regards to point 86. I don't know how widespread that is either. The vast majority of men do not engage in sexually or physically abusive behavior towards women so we're talking about a small population and it is HIGHLY likely that those who befriend such people are abusers themselves. I would hesitate to extend blanket "Black male privilege" over the actions of a few.
87. I can video tape women in public- often without their consent - with male complicity.
Again with the policing behavior. Unless we're talking about up-skirt cameras, anyone in public is in the public domain. Most people do not realize this but when you are out in public ANYONE can take your picture and you have NO rights to stop them. That's how gossip magazines and websites work. That men, who are visual by nature, tend to take pictures of women who catch their notice more than women do is not a privilege. It is a right. Deal with it.
88. I can be courteous to a person of the opposite sex that I do not know and say "Hello" or "Hi" and not fear that it will be taken as a come-on or fear being stalked because of it.
50/50 here. Nothing against "hitting on people" in public spaces.People have the right to attempt to strike up a conversation with whomever they please. Everyone has the right to decline an invite to conversation. Deal with it. The latter part is definitely a concern and a privilege.
89. I can use physical violence or the threat of physical violence to get what I want when other tactics fail in a relationship.
It should read: "I can TRY to use physical violence or the threat of physical violence..." Cause if the woman involved has enough sense she'll leave any man that first tries that. Again though I'm not prepared to lay blanket "privilege" status to something a small minority of men engage in. I want to be clear here that I object to the extension of criminal behavior to black men in general. Criminal behavior is never a privilege and ought not be framed as such.
94. I am able to be out in public without fear of being sexually harassed by individuals or groups of the opposite sex.
I'm leery of this one because I have come across a number of proclaimed feminist who feel that if a man so much as looks at her, it is sexual harassment. Seriously. I have actually had this discussion. Simple attempts to engage in conversation in public was deemed sexual harassment. I'm serious about that one too. What bothers me is the usual loud silence by other feminists when these things are said and posted on certain feminist websites. They call it "creating a safe place for women". I call it tolerating and allowing the promotion of BS. Fact is that among normal human males and females, the fact that we as a species are poly-estrous means that "mating season" is every day of the week. Human males and females try to get each others attention every day of the week. It is normal. There are a lot of men who go way overboard on their attention seeking. This is where culture and proper parental upbringing (particularly fathers and father figures) come into play.
Let me give an example from another member of the animal kingdom, the elephant. A documentary on some African elephants showed that there was a bunch of male calves who were acting out. They would fight and in general engage in destructive behaviors. The keepers discovered that in this particular preserve there were not a lot of (if any) mature male elephants. They introduced a number of mature males from another preserve. Within a few months the once rampaging young male elephants stopped their bad behavior due to the interference of and training by the newly introduced mature males. The lesson is clear. Young men are best trained in proper behavior by [relatively] dominant older males. It is not surprising that we have a generation of males who are generally fatherless running around in such a way that makes females fear them. Males who into their early adulthood dress and act in immature manners.
To conclude I want to re-iterate that the linked piece definitely has it's points. Black males enjoy privileges that extend from simply being male. To deny that would be dishonest. However; we must not fall into the general feminist trap of wading into anti-male territory. A lot of feminists actually have issues with being a woman much like many so called "pro-black" people have issues with being black. Instead of dealing with their personal issues and failures as women (or as black persons) they project their issues onto their perceived oppressor. They idealize themselves by projecting all negatives on their opposite. Things are rarely that cut and dry. Lastly we need to consider that to everything there is a positive and a negative. Everything can't be all good or all bad. Sometimes things are exactly what they are because that is the way it should be.