I am white and I am straight. Those two identities do not have minority status. Yes, I am a female, which means that I have experienced situations that grant me "minority status" for those instances. However, the color of my skin is what I am talking about in the following situation. I am in a class titled "Latino Politics in the US" and a class titled "Minority Politics in the US."

I am taking those classes as they fit with my Political Science major and I am interested in creating an environment of equality as I pursue my law career. I've only had three sessions for each of these classes thus far, and the first doesn't really count because all we did was go over the syllabus.

Although I am interested in the curriculum, I am worried about participating in these classes. Many of the minorities we are looking at are minority groups due to their skin color. I have never experienced the type of oppression that they have due to my skin color. As one of the few white people in these classes, I do worry about participating. Although I would not mean to offend anyone, I am fearful that I may.

I believe that racism is prevalent in society and is an atrocious mindset; however, I have never experienced any of that. When my Puerto Rican (as he likes to be referred to) professor asks for participation from the classes (I have him for both classes), I am fearful to raise my hand. No matter how much politically correct terminology I make sure to retain, I do not want to make any of my "minority" classmates uncomfortable for speaking as I am white.

Professor: "Class what is your opinion or comments on the article we just read?"

A bunch of hands raise. I have some thoughts that I would like to share but I am fearful of raising my hand, so I leave it sitting on my desk, pen in hand, jotting down my thoughts instead. When I leave the class, I am disappointed for not saying my piece because no one else brought up the points that I was able to identify. Due to the different experiences that we have had, their comments are laced with pain, fear, and anger.

Although mine would have still been laced with anger, I was better able to separate myself from the victim side and just analyze what the article said overall. I know that that is a privilege. I recognize my privilege, or at least I try to often. I am confident in what I should have said. I know that it would have been valuable to the conversation, and although I know that my comments would not have offended anyone due to their content, I'm afraid that speaking, in general, will offend some whose emotions are still so raw from the reading, solely because I am white.

I need to work on the mindset that I have, but until everyone receives fair and equal treatment, I don't think that these fears will ever go away. Because for some people, me speaking about something that hurts them, even if I am siding with them, is wrong because I am white.