the whitegirl effect

First off, yes. I get pretty much every advantage that McIntosh talks about, and many more. For example, my grandparents are loaded, and I know I can depend on that. I doubt they would have been so successful at amassing their small fortunes if they had not been white, since they got most of it during the '50s and '60s. Knowing that I have people who can take care of me financially if things get rough is very comforting.

Also, when I can't dance, no one is surprised. I am the master of the whitegirl dance!

Disadvantages... really, I don't have anything to complain about. The biggest thing, probably, was seeing my peers from high school get all sorts of money thrown at them through financial aid or scholarships because they're minorities. I mean, I'm only paying eight grand a year, but one of my very best friends from high school is going to a private university where his entire bill is footed by the school and government. Does he need it? Hell no - his family got him a brand new Benz when he started school, and when he crashed it, they let him choose something else! And it seems like his family wouldn't be able to get away with getting totally free college on top of that if they were white, instead of Saudi.

Hunter