4 ms·

Bernie's mittens: A lesson for S.F. high school students in white privilege

4 points by undefined1 6y ago

Bostonian 6y ago
How does an 80yo man show "privilege" by wearing mittens when it's cold outside? People of all ages and races and both sexes do the same. I wonder if some of what is taught in public schools is indoctrination that does more harm than good.
- kaymanb 6y ago
  The article answers this. "I don’t know many poor, or working class, or female, or struggling-to-be-taken-seriously folk who would show up at the inauguration of our 46th president dressed like Bernie." Given the importance of the event, there is a socially constructed "dress code". The privilege comes from Bernie being able to break this code without fear of negative repercussions.
  - BitwiseFool 6y ago
    All I see is winter-wear. And, looking at the photograph again, I just can't see anyone getting in trouble for wearing the exact same outfit. Edit: Did any non-privileged persons get called out for wearing similar attire at the inauguration? Or is this a hypothetical situation where Bernie gets a pass and someone else wouldn't?
BitwiseFool 6y ago
"Sen. Sanders is no white supremacist insurrectionist. But he manifests privilege, white privilege, male privilege and class privilege, in ways that my students could see and feel." Followed by... "Yet, when they saw Sen. Bernie Sanders manifesting privilege, when seemingly no one else did, I struggled to explain that disparity. I am beyond puzzled as to why so many are loving the images of Bernie and his gloves." What is this teacher trying to accomplish? Did it not occur to her that people are liking the Bernie mitten meme because he's got the image of a grumpy old man and that's endearing to people?
- wmf 6y ago
  It's not supposed to be endearing because old white men aren't allowed to be grumpy.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
kaymanb 6y ago
> Not so sweet? The blindness I see, of so many (Bernie included), to the privileges Bernie represents. What does not being blind to this privilege look like? I agree that there is an angle to read Bernie and his mittens as an example of privilege. But I would also say that the outcome of the mitten craze has been, overall, positive.
- at-fates-hands 6y ago
  > But I would also say that the outcome of the mitten craze has been, overall, positive. Not so much for the woman who made them: Ellis, 42, said she was inundated with requests to purchase her mittens after the image of Sanders went viral, but added that the federal government's high tax rates on independent crafters had discouraged her from selling them as a business. "I don't have much of a mitten business anymore because it really wasn't worth it," Ellis said. "Independent crafters get really taken for a ride by the federal government. We get taxed to the nth degree, and it wasn't really worth it pursuing that as a business, even as a side hustle. I mostly just make them as gifts."
haspoken 6y ago
http://archive.is/cll8k http://archive.is/cll8k

4 points by undefined1 6y ago

How does an 80yo man show "privilege" by wearing mittens when it's cold outside? People of all ages and races and both sexes do the same. I wonder if some of what is taught in public schools is indoctrination that does more harm than good.

kaymanb 6y ago
The article answers this. "I don’t know many poor, or working class, or female, or struggling-to-be-taken-seriously folk who would show up at the inauguration of our 46th president dressed like Bernie." Given the importance of the event, there is a socially constructed "dress code". The privilege comes from Bernie being able to break this code without fear of negative repercussions.
- BitwiseFool 6y ago
  All I see is winter-wear. And, looking at the photograph again, I just can't see anyone getting in trouble for wearing the exact same outfit. Edit: Did any non-privileged persons get called out for wearing similar attire at the inauguration? Or is this a hypothetical situation where Bernie gets a pass and someone else wouldn't?

BitwiseFool 6y ago

"Sen. Sanders is no white supremacist insurrectionist. But he manifests privilege, white privilege, male privilege and class privilege, in ways that my students could see and feel." Followed by... "Yet, when they saw Sen. Bernie Sanders manifesting privilege, when seemingly no one else did, I struggled to explain that disparity. I am beyond puzzled as to why so many are loving the images of Bernie and his gloves." What is this teacher trying to accomplish? Did it not occur to her that people are liking the Bernie mitten meme because he's got the image of a grumpy old man and that's endearing to people?

wmf 6y ago
It's not supposed to be endearing because old white men aren't allowed to be grumpy.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

kaymanb 6y ago

> Not so sweet? The blindness I see, of so many (Bernie included), to the privileges Bernie represents. What does not being blind to this privilege look like? I agree that there is an angle to read Bernie and his mittens as an example of privilege. But I would also say that the outcome of the mitten craze has been, overall, positive.

at-fates-hands 6y ago
> But I would also say that the outcome of the mitten craze has been, overall, positive. Not so much for the woman who made them: Ellis, 42, said she was inundated with requests to purchase her mittens after the image of Sanders went viral, but added that the federal government's high tax rates on independent crafters had discouraged her from selling them as a business. "I don't have much of a mitten business anymore because it really wasn't worth it," Ellis said. "Independent crafters get really taken for a ride by the federal government. We get taxed to the nth degree, and it wasn't really worth it pursuing that as a business, even as a side hustle. I mostly just make them as gifts."

haspoken 6y ago

http://archive.is/cll8k http://archive.is/cll8k