You can’t be singing Rihanna’s “Umbrella” if you happen to be a white fella–fella.
That’s what kids learned during a lesson on “privilege” and “microaggressions” in a human relations theory class at the University of Oklahoma.
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“I was told as a white woman it’s insulting and a microaggression for me to cover or sing a Rihanna song because I’m not from Barbados,” a student who was in the class told me. “I was literally told to go sing the Star-Spangled Banner.”
The student, who asked not to be identified, sent me copies of both assignments–including a 100-item checklist to determine how much “privilege” you have.
For example, you’ve got privilege if “a stranger has never asked to touch my hair, or asked if it is real.”
Straight, white guys who have a job, vacation in Cabo, and go to church on Sunday are “very privileged.” Atheists, Muslims and anyone who works at a fast-food joint would be considered under-privileged.
The student who reached out to me wants to work in human resources–and the class is mandatory.
“They teach you that if you are not part of the minority you cannot be discriminated against,” she said. “A black person cannot be racist to a white person. A female cannot be sexist towards a man because men are the majority.” ...
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