My Experiences with Whiteness

Whiteness: Exnominated, Universal and Natural

As bellhooks said, “whiteness is only invisible for white people.” That is the privilege that is afforded to them; their skin colour is universal, natural and exnominated. Reading Peggy McIntosh’s ‘White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack’ was interesting in highlighting the privilege whiteness afforded. But it also highlighted the internalised experiences I’ve had as an Asian.

McIntosh says, “I can…be in the company of people of my race most of the time.” We often draw attention to groups that are predominantly one ethnicity. For example, there will be the ‘Asian group’ or the ‘Pasifika group.’ This is often seen in a negative light, as the implication is that the Asian group tend to exclude others; they ‘keep to themselves’. This doesn’t apply to groups of friends that are all White, because it is universally common place. Many groups of friends in film, television and the media are all White without being captioned as the ‘White group.’ In a similar way, Rachel, Ross, Chandler, Phoebe and Jooey are ‘Friends’ not ‘White Friends.’ That is part of the exnomination aspect of White privilege; Whiteness is not named when it is the default. In a similar way, describing someone as a ‘Asian girl,’ over a ‘girl,’ shows that the ‘girl,’ is presumed as White, because White is the default and therefore needs no name. On the other hand, the ‘Asian’ girl is deviant, named, and her race is an intricate part of her identity.

As well as being exnominated, whiteness is also universal, seen in the idea of beauty. Google image “beautiful” and images of light skin, silky hair and clear complexion will constantly pop up. The ‘universal’ idea of beauty is fashioned on a Western concept of what being beautiful means. In Taiwan, I encountered many beauty products that promised to “whiten” my skin. I also saw double eyelids tape meant to create ‘lines’ for those with monolids. People also praised me for being considered taller than the average ‘Asian’, because being taller, fairer, and lighter is an aspect of Western beauty that everyone strives to emulate.

Whiteness as natural was also something I encountered with my predominantly 'white' friend group. It was a ‘normal’ and universal problem to get sunburnt. But Asian skin has thicker melanin, making it harder to become sunburnt, but easier to scar for acne. My skin problems, in combatting acne scars and oily skin, were very different to the skin problems my friends faced. And yet, my skin was considered ‘abnormal’ or different, whereas my friends’ problems were considered the norm.