White folks need to understand that privilege is not an on/off, yes/no switch. A person can have disadvantages in some areas while still having advantages in others. A poor, gay, or transgender white person still has white skin privilege. Likewise, a wealthy, straight, cisgender black person still faces profiling, violence, and other disadvantages solely based on their skin color (unless they are “white-passing”).

Recognizing one’s own privileges is the first step to combating oppression. It isn’t a matter of feeling guilty or being a “bad person,” it’s simply about seeing the world from a perspective outside of your own lived experience.