Why People from Privileged Groups Support

I am often asked why people would want to change a system from which they benefit or why I, as a White person, am committed to eliminating racism. There are obvious reasons why people from dominant groups resist challenges to the status quo. There are also plenty of reasons why they remain apathetic and uninvolved. Yet we know from history and our current experiences that people from privileged groups also assist, and often take leadership in struggles for social justice. Instead of just focusing on why people from privileged groups don’t support equity, I have been exploring what motivates people to do so. Supporting social justice can occur on different levels-from supporting a particular project, to being committed to dismantling a specific form of oppression, to working to change the structures and values which underlie all systems of domination and subordination. As I’ll discuss, some people just may be willing to act in limited ways under narrow circumstances, while others may be deeply committed and devote large amounts of time and energy. I will consider both the similarities and differences in motivation for these types of support. Why do some men support feminist initiatives, some heterosexuals work for gay

and lesbian rights, or some Whites challenge racist practices? Why have you tried to address inequities experienced by people from a subordinated group as a member of the privileged group? I have been asking people in classes and workshops that question.