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The Relationship of Implicit Bias to Microaggressions 125

treated equally, and that they would never intentionally discriminate against
others (Dovidio & Gaertner, 1996; Watt, 2007). Their self - identity is encased in
a strong belief in their own morality and decency as human beings.
For White Americans to acknowledge that they harbor antiminority feel-
ings and have acted in ways that oppress others shatters their self - concept as
good and moral human beings. To realize that one is racist or at least holds
prejudicial attitudes is both frightening and unsettling because it strikes at
the core of human decency. No wonder so many White Americans fi nd even
entertaining the notion of their own racism anxiety - provoking and painful.
No wonder they react with defensiveness and anger when there is even a
slight hint of possible racial bias.

Layer Three — Fear of Acknowledging White Privilege

When the first and second layers are unmasked, when Whites begin to
acknowledge that they have been complicit in the oppression of others, and
when they admit that they harbor racial biases, another deeper layer of reali-

zation presents itself: the possibility that they have benefited from racism
and the present racist arrangements and practices of society that oppress one
group, but advantage another (McIntosh, 2002; Jones, 1997; Sue, 2004). As the
invisible White veil of self - deception begins to lift, they no longer can deny
their complicity in the oppression of others and that they directly and indi-

rectly benefit from the current state of affairs. While denial is most prevalent
in level one and anger/defensiveness in level two, level three is marked by
strong feelings of guilt.
White privilege is the term used to describe the unearned benefi ts and
advantages that automatically accrue to Whites by virtue of their skin color
(McIntosh, 2002; Watt, 2007). Many have broadened this concept to address
“ male privilege ” and “ heterosexual privilege ” as well. While most Whites
are seemingly willing to entertain the notion that people of color suffer from
prejudice and discrimination and are thus “ disadvantaged, ” they resist con-
sidering the possibility that they are automatically “ advantaged ” because of
their skin color (Sue, 2003). Acknowledging White privilege is diffi cult for
two reasons. First, as shown in our transformation process model, it is clear
that White privilege could not exist outside the confines of White supremacy.

Second, if Whites benefit from White privilege, then they must entertain

the notion that they did not achieve their success in life through their own
individual efforts, but through a system normed and standardized on the
experiences of Whites. They are unfairly advantaged in nearly all aspects of

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