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I was struggling with expressing what “white privilege” and “systemic racism” mean to my neighbours and community members only to open the October Canadian Family Physician and follow the thread back to Dr. Dhara. I identify as a white heterosexual cis-female. My contribution to this discussion is as follows:
Systemic racism. It was embarrassing to watch the Chief of Police stumble over the presence of systemic racism but, sad as it might be, she may have the questionable benefit of innocence. While she recognized the presence of racism in the police force, like many whites, she has had no idea what "systemic racism" was.
Indeed, we are taught to see racism in individual or group acts of violence against persons or people of colour. When pressed, we might find a policy or principle that subtly discriminates, for example, facial recognition software. This narrowness allows us to ignore the implications of membership in the dominant white race, an automatic privilege that our skin colour bestows upon us.
As soon as the notion of white privilege is mentioned, whites deny it - they have an honest disbelief that this type of conferred privilege exists. "I worked hard for what I have", they say, "I don't have any privilege, I'm mortgaged for everything I have." Some will go so far as to claim that people of colour "have more advantages than they do" or that they have more protection under law.
White p...
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In her thoughtful contribution to the Third Rail column, Dr. Dhara admits that she is "...a little scared about how people will respond to this essay..." As a white, cis-male physician in his 50's, I want to assure Dr. Dhara that some of us, at least, are aware of the privilege we may not have asked for, but have benefitted from nonetheless. This does not prevent me from recognizing the courage it took for her to "pick up the mic", and I personally am grateful that she remains committed to speaking up and advocating for equity and justice within our profession -- which, in the end, will benefit us all. Thank you, and well said!
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Thank you so much for this vulnerable article Dr. Dhara. I am grateful you had the courage to write it. We need your voice now more than ever.
For context, I'm a white, male, family resident in Halifax with a history of burnout. These last couple months have been full of self-reflection for me. What I wasn't yet considering was the largely unacknowledged racism in medicine.
Your article is a great summary of my past subconscious microaggressions. I am listening, learning, and wanting to become a better human beings to other human beings.
Your vulnerable and piercing words, crucial to be said and heard today, give me a little more hope for systemic change, as well as more direction for me to enact change.
I do hope to run into you someday in Halifax.
Competing Interests: None declared.