Cultural Self-Inventory

Running head: OPEN LETTER TO DONALD TRUMP 1
An Open Letter to Donald Trump:
The Implications of the Categories You Are Born In
Kristin Wagel
Oakland University

OPEN LETTER TO DONALD TRUMP 2
Dear Donald Trump,
I will never find it easy to reveal my political and personal views on contemporary issues
for fear of dealing with disagreement, resentment and hurt feelings. However, like scholar Audre
Lorde, I recognized what I value needs to be articulated, “even at the risk of having it bruised or
misunderstood” (Lorde, 1978, p. 40). With the current campaign for presidency and concluding
my Communication degree, I have called upon myself to examine my own history and identity
and the influence they have on my past, present, and future self. In doing this, I discovered
culture is socially constructed and interconnected. This makes the idea of culture entirely
confusing and generates the oppressive American culture to which I cannot escape. My goal in
writing this letter is to examine my own culture and the intersectionality of my identity. Peggy
McIntosh revealed that as a white women of middle class I am, “privileged in some ways and
definitely not privileged in others,” and these privileges are something, “you are born into, not
things you earned” (McIntosh, 1988, p. 3). In this letter I will investigate my relation to white
privilege, gender, class, and sexuality, and the implications these categories had on the entirety
of my life. I hope through my critical analysis of myself, you will become enlightened about
your misconceptions. This letter may fall on deaf ears, but my silence has and will never protect
me. My words are compound with fear because, “we have been socialized to respect fear more
than our own needs for language and definition,” however I will no longer let silence choke me
(Lorde, 1978, p. 44).
When conceptualizing racism, it is easy to think how it puts others at a disadvantage
rather than giving white people an advantage. Prior to taking numerous college courses regarding
white privilege, I would deny such a notion existed. My past-self believed everyone was born
with an equal opportunity to achieve success. Was it not the ideology America was founded on?

Although, “members of all racial groups helped to build the United States, persons of color in
general have not reaped the benefits of their contributions,” which is a symptom of white
privilege (Allen, 2011, p. 81). The ideology of white supremacy has left a legacy on modern
America, and is an “ongoing organizing principle of our lives (Allen, 2011, p. 68). As a white
person, it would be easy for me to declare racism to be extinct, however this is white privilege. I
never experienced racism or participated in any overt acts of racism, yet I know racism is very
much still a part of society. When others see or read that I am white, they make certain
assumptions about me, most of them positive. This coincides with scholar Elizabeth Minnich’s
thoughts on how “whites are taught to think of their lives as morally neutral, normative, and
average, and also ideal” (McIntosh, 1988, p. 88). Ultimately, my experiences have shown my
skin color to be an asset in accomplishing whatever I set out to. In Peggy McIntosh’s White
Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, there are many items on the list of daily effects of
white privilege that I would assume are basic rules for humanity and everyone is entitled to
(McIntosh, 1988).
After I came to the realization I was a beneficiary of white privilege, I began to question
how this socially constructed ideology remains so powerful after America has seemingly moved
into a post-racial era. McIntosh articulates how I feel in saying, “My schooling gave me no
training in seeing myself as an oppressor, as an unfairly advantaged person, or as a participant in
a damaged culture” (McIntosh, 1988, p. 87). I was blissfully unaware of the interlocking systems
of oppression that, “take both active forms that we can see and embedded forms that members of
the dominant group are taught not to see” (McIntosh, 1988, p. 92). Upon reading this statement, I
was appalled that I was not only taught not to see the oppression, but also that I was purposely
lead to be oblivious. I remember learning about slavery, the Civil War, and the new America

post-war, but I never learned of the Jim Crow South, the reemergence of Jim Crow ideologies, or
the social caste, “sustained by slavery and racial segregation” (Allen, 2011, p. 76). I was only
recently enlightened of structural racism which, “permeate practices and norms in organizations
and institutions as well as individual attitudes and behaviors, whether intended or not” (Allen,
2011, p. 76). Being ignorant of these crucial historical periods, “props up those in power and
serves to keep power in the hands of the same groups that have most of it already” (McIntosh,
1988, p. 93). Looking back, I was only taught of racism as, “something that puts others at a
disadvantage, but had been taught not to see one of its corollary aspects, white privilege, which
puts me at an advantage” (McIntosh, 1988, p. 87). Ultimately, white society determines
everything in society including what language is powerful and who will become powerful.
The consequences of not being taught about white privileges is damaging to both whites
and people of color. If I were to deny I have white privilege, I would be denying that white
hegemony has opened doors for me which would not have been open for people of color.
Renouncing white privilege would allow me to believe being white is neutral and normal, and all
others should be more “like us.” For some, rejecting the notion of white privilege has given them
the license, “to be ignorant, oblivious, arrogant, and destructive” to white people and people of
color in different ways (McIntosh, 1988, p. 90). Have you ever been in a room where you are the
only white person? Have you ever been asked to represent the entire white population? Has your
skin color ever portrayed that you are financially irresponsible? Were you ever taught about
racism for your own protection? I never was and it is because I am positively affected white
privilege (McIntosh, 1988).
Now that we both know the inner workings of white privilege the next question is, what
do white people do? Gina Crosley-Corcoran recommends not feeling guilty because we cannot

control the skin color you are born into, however we must realize you and I, “DO benefit from it,
and it IS your fault if you don't maintain awareness of that fact” (Crosley-Corcoran, 2014, p. 2).
Accountability is the message here, as white people must be responsible for the systems of
oppression we have put in place. Many white people point to a “post-racial America” which,
“alludes to a color-blind society where race is insignificant. This perspective corresponds to a
persistent difference in attitudes toward race, as whites are less likely than people of color to
think that race and racism still matter” (Allen, 2011, p. 68). This perspective denies the very real
plight of African Americans in the past and in the present. Before I understood white privilege, I
believed color-blindness was the answer to racism. I thought, “How could seeing everyone as
equal be wrong?” But in this perceived equality, there is denial for the fact that, “being born with
white skin in America affords people certain unearned privileges in life that people of other skin
colors simply are not afforded,” and that Caucasian people as a whole have the power to define
other’s reality on the basis of skin color (Crosley- Corcoran, 2014, p. 1). Now that I am aware of
white privilege I have begun questioning everything I know about myself and American society.
Can you say the same?
Because I am continuously critically thinking about what shapes me as a person, I have
realized gender is the most powerful system of oppression I face. I get a small taste of what
African Americans have dealt with for centuries because I am a woman. Yes, you can say
America has and continues to become more egalitarian in regards to gender, but have we really?
You, Mr. Trump have been relentless in reducing women into objects. I am thoroughly offended
by the things you have said about certain women and women as a whole. However, I never really
questioned where this male dominance began until I looked inside my own family towards sexist
gender roles. Every day, either my mom or I come home from work or school and cook dinner

for the family. After we eat, we do the dishes, no questions asked. If you are wondering where
my two brothers and dad are, they are lounging on the couch asking “when we will be done?”
This happens every single day. Why is it that my mom and I must do the daily indoor cleaning
duties, while the boys only have to do outdoor clean up (which only occurs about once a week)?
You could say this is a small oppressive act and question why my parents raised us this way.
Their response would be that is the way it has always been. But, this is not the way it has always
been because gender is socially constructed, which means gender roles were created and are in
no way innate.
While sex is a, “biological classification,” gender is the, “cultural norms of femininity
and masculinity” (Allen, 2011, p. 42). Gender is a repeated performance full of expectations and
assumptions that we learn from others. Through, “language, small talk, joking, dress, body
language, and so on,” gender is created and reproduced (Allen, 2011, p. 56). We learn gender
and gender ideologies from, “teachers, peers, parents, and counselors” (Allen, 2011, p. 48). It is
challenging to understand and accept that the way we view and perform gender is from those
closest to us. Do I blame my parents for our sexist division of duties and the very real
consequences large and small acts of sexism affect mine and my brothers lives? The answer is
yes, but also no. Although our household system has direct implications for my entire life, my
parents are only continuing the lessons they were taught. A main component of these lessons is
patriarchy, which is the, “structural dominance of men that is built into the institutions of
society” (Allen, 2011, p. 44). Tied to patriarchy is male privilege, which include, “advantages
which men gain from women’s disadvantages” (McIntosh, 1988, p. 86). These advantages and
disadvantages are institutionalized and open doors for men exclusively. If you are suspicious

about institutional sexism, just know I considered not applying for a job because on the
application it was a requirement to be extremely interested in the automotive industry.
If you think traditional sex roles do not have an impact today, you are quite mistaken.
Betty Friedan wrote The Problem that has No Name in 1963, which discusses the, “strange
stirring, a sense of dissatisfaction, a yearning that women suffered in the middle of the twentieth
century in the United States,” which had women wondering, “’Is this all?’” (Friedan, 1963, p. 1).
If you do not know what Friedan is talking about, you are blinded by male privilege. The
Problem that has No Name is women pondering why they are confined to their house, with the
only true fulfillment being a clean home, child rearing, being beautiful, and submission to their
husband. In 1963, women, “learned that truly feminine women do not want careers, higher
education, political rights—the independence and the opportunities that the old-fashioned
feminists fought for” (Friedan, 1963, p. 1). This is rooted in the separate ideological spheres of
masculinity and femininity where men are in the public sphere, and women remain the private
sphere. Although women have since integrated into the work force, they also face the “second
shift,” as men, “on average, perform only about a third of the total family work” (Allen, 2011, p.
49).
Outdated feminine traits have a strong grip on modern society. If you don’t believe this,
think about why I am labeled a ‘bitch’ for being assertive, but when a man is labeled as confident
and a “boss.” How am I supposed to have equal opportunity as men when I do the same things
but am oppressed as a result? The origin of this labeling has its origin in the virtues women were
judged for in the past, “purity, piety, submissiveness, and domesticity” (Allen, 2011, p. 44).
Feminine traits revolve around, “understanding, compassion, and affection,” while masculine
traits include, “independence, confidence, and assertiveness” (Allen, 2011, p. 45). However,

these traits are not biological, I should be able to be confident and understanding and vice versa
for men. This is not the case in American society. My most eye-opening experience in regards to
gender discrimination is the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis which states that language shapes thought.
The implications of this hypothesis imply that because English has a vast amount of derogatory
words for women (significantly more than for men), women are automatically and unconsciously
assumed to be inferior. Think about what belittling terms you use for males, because many of
them are, “negative labels for females” (Allen, 2011, p. 54).
The biggest atrocity you have committed against women is constant objectification. And
no, I am not solely blaming you for this action because it is blatant that both men and women
objectify men and other women. Yet Lindy West explains, “the idea of having your physical
appearance prioritized over your talents no matter what you do, and being harassed and ogled
everywhere you go, is absolutely a feminine domain” (West, 2012, para. 9). West’s article
analyzes the fall of music artist D’Angelo following the release of his music video for “Untitled
(How Does It Feel?)” and the mass objectification that came with it. D’Angelo went insane upon
the feedback,” which is absurd considering women experience this everyday which is
unacceptable yet tolerated.
Socio-economic class also has implications from womb to tomb. You may think you that
because you live in America you can become wealthy and climb the class ladder through hard
work and determination, but I know this is untrue. Being born into the middle class, I only have
the means to stay in the middle class (or drop down the ladder). Donna Langston explains that
this is because class determines what resources we have and, “affects what we perceive as and
what we have available to us as choices” (Langston, 1988, p. 2-3). It was never an option for me
to attend an Ivy League school because I do not have the social connection (being a legacy) or

the cash to even consider it. The likelihood of myself starting a business empire or running for
president are slim because I do not have the resources to get a “small” loan of a million from
dollars for anyone. Placement into a socioeconomic class occurs through ascription or
achievement, however the majority of people stay in the class they were born into. This includes
the fact that wealthy people stay wealthy and those in poverty stay in poverty. So when you tell
me, the working class, or those who are in poverty to pick ourselves up by out bootstraps, you
are overlooking the fact, “that some were born with silver shoe horns” (Langston, 1988, p. 1-2).
There is a myth in America that we are a classless society. The consequence of this myth
is the middle and upper class denying their privilege and continuing the cycle of keeping the rich
wealthy and the poor in poverty. By claiming, “ambition and intelligence alone are responsible
for success,” the perpetuation of false hope remains for poor and working class people who strive
for a better life (Langston, 1988, p. 2). Material and visual tokens are shown for those who
“work hard,” which undermines resistance and change to the class system. The classless myth
also puts the responsibility of one’s socio-economic success solely on, “personal and moral
merits of an individual” (Langston, 1988, p. 2). When the poor and working class do not ascend
the ladder, our society blames the victim. It is easy to feel cheated by those on welfare, but after
recognizing the misconceptions of social class, I have realized the upper class control all the
socioeconomic classes and are truly the cheaters. If the classless society were true, my mom and
dad would be the wealthiest of the wealthy because they are the hardest working people I know.
But this is not reality, because my family will always fall in the middle class despite their hard
work and ambition.
Mr. Trump, when you speak of “making America great again,” are you partly speaking of
the American Dream? I think your conception of the American Dream is far different from mine

or the Mexican immigrants who come to America for a better life. If you have heard of the
Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back,” it echoes the American Dream. Michael Jackson is but a child
when singing the glorious song that launched him into the pop industry. The parallel between
this song and class and the American Dream is the fact that the pop industry is an, “amoral pit of
greed and exploitation,” similar to the class system in America (Hamilton, 2012, para. 6). While
immigrants and Americans alike believe in the endless possibilities of America, they are
exploited by a system that could care less about hard work and ambition. For this reason, social
class affects everyone from womb to tomb and determines all aspects of life. It is because of this
that I no longer measure success or happiness in a monetary value and the reason your class
ideologies are fundamentally flawed.
The last category you are born into that I want to bring to your attention is sexuality.
Sexuality is important because it is, “an important aspect of everyone’s identity and experiences”
(Allen, 2011, p. 117). Essentialists believe sexuality is biological and innate, while the social
constructionist perspective understands sexuality as, “a product of sociohistorical conditions”
(Allen, 2011, p. 124). Regardless of what you or I believe about sexuality, the past conclusions
about sexuality has left a damaging legacy. From an evolutionary standpoint, those with same-
sex attraction are unable to reproduce rendering them invaluable to the human species. Sigmund
Freud, father of psychoanalysis, stated same-sex attraction was, “abnormal and bad,” and
although many researches have debunked his theories, society still holds onto these claims
(Allen, 2011, p. 122). It was only in 1973 that being gay was no longer considered a mental
illness. For all of these reasons, in conjunction with religious groups proclaiming the sinful
nature, same-sex attraction is still considered morally wrong and puts those part of the LGBTQ
community at a disadvantage.

In American society, heterosexuality is the, “normal and superior category of sexuality,”
and as a result heterosexuals enjoy privilege (Allen, 2011, p. 125). When I meet someone it is
unconsciously assumed they are heterosexual unless told otherwise. I am not suggesting we
should assume everyone we meet is gay or heterosexual, this is just my observation of the
privilege of being heterosexual. People of LGBTQ community recognize this privilege and as a
result will pass as heterosexual to, “conceal their sexuality” (Allen, 2011, p. 130). Passing
includes monitoring interactions with others, dressing in a heteronormative fashion, and not
talking about relationships or significant others. In addition, when discovering their sexuality,
teens who do not fit into the rigid heteronormative box look to the Internet for advice and
information. You and I both know not to trust everything you see on the Internet, especially
regarding sex and sexuality. This lack of widespread acceptance for the LGBTQ community
causes avoidance of talking to family and friends about this. I am very close with my mother and
consider her an open-minded individual, however I do not think I would be comfortable talking
with her if I questioned my sexuality. This is why discussing sexuality and heteronormative
practices is so important to me, because I hope to create an environment in which my children
feel comfortable and safe talking about their sexuality.
In an attempt to reduce stigma regarding sexuality, a huge topic our society must come
together on is sex education. My sex education consisted of one week of horrific slideshows
displaying the symptoms of sexual transmitted diseases. Thinking back, I never learned more
than the general anatomy of men and women, and of course STDs. We had an anonymous
question box our teacher would end class answering, but I never felt comfortable revealing my
terrified questions. Author, Cara Kulwicki, explains that this form of sex education is only
effective in encouraging safety but does not prepare young people for the real, not talked about

aspects of sex. In a world full of easy-access porn, sex shops, and pornographic advertising, I
would think talking about pleasurable sex and same-sex sex would be casual. But, this is not
reality as sex education rarely, if ever, mentions sexual gratification for women or anything
outside of heterosexual intercourse. When there is awareness of sex outside of heterosexual
intercourse, “people can make better decisions about sexual gratification” (Kulwicki, 2008, p.
308). Additionally, current sex education only speaks of pleasure in terms of men and the penis
(the clitoris is almost never mentioned), which is not only uninformative to men and women
alike, but is also extremely sexist. This serves the function of perpetuating the belief that
heterosexual women, “are expected to be chaste, while heterosexual men tend to be socialized to
perform aggressive sexuality as a marker of masculinity” (Kulwicki, 2008, p. 133). I cannot
imagine being a gay teen and only learning about heterosexual sex. It would leave me confused
and feeling marginalized.
The string connecting white privilege, gender, class, and sexuality is insectionality of the
systems of oppression and privilege. In connecting this dimensions of identity, I can examine,
“these varying dimensions and degrees of discrimination while raising awareness of the results
of multiple systems of oppression at work” (Crosley-Corcoran, 2014 p. 4). It is this reason that
nothing terrifies me more than a person like you, as a white, male, upper class, and heterosexual,
leading our country. You will never understand the struggles of people who fall at the
disadvantaged end of these scales. Mr. Trump, as a person with all the privilege in the world, you
could never begin imagine the daily struggles of a black women in poverty, who is also a lesbian.
A person like that is not fighting an uphill battle, but runs into a brick wall battle. No matter how
hard this woman (or anyone who is not as privileged as you) tries she will run straight into the
brick wall known as American society. Yes, we have moved in an increasingly progressive

direction (i.e. same sex marriage, civil rights, and feminism), but these are only removing one
brick from the enormous brick wall. And with each progression, there is some form of backlash,
which in this case would be replacing bricks knocked down. You can compare the brick wall of
white privilege, gender, class, and sexuality to the wall you wish to put between the U.S. and
Mexico, it will not stop people from trying to break it down, but it will make it significantly
more difficult.
I know where I fall when standing next to this brick wall. As a white woman in the
middle class who is heterosexual, this wall only reaches my knees. Being white and
heterosexual, I am privileged in many ways, such as never being questioned if I am financially
responsible or if I am coming on to a coworker of the same sex. Yet, the pushback of my identity
comes from the category in which I am the proudest to be in, being a woman. Langston explains,
“the idea of women as passive, weak creatures,” discounts the numerous obstacles we have
faced, have conquered, and will continue to oppress us (Langston, 1988, p. 321). Like Friedan
discussed in The Problem that has No Name, there is more to woman than her husband, children,
and home, and there is something to be said for the generations upon generations of men who put
those responsibilities solely on women. Being in the middle class is complicated in nature, in that
I am better off than so many others and am able to go to college to learn about critical aspects of
culture, yet class determines my, “understanding of the world and where [I] fit in” (Langston,
1988, p. 2). There are certain goals and wishes I will never be able to accomplish due to my lack
of monetary and social resources. Due to intersectionality, I can clearly see, it is no coincidence
that, “the ‘unlucky’ come from certain race, gender, and class backgrounds” (Langston, 1988, p.
318). Because this is true, “this is not such a free country; one's life is not what one makes it;
many doors open for certain people through no virtues of their own” (McIntosh, 1988, p. 89).

My thoughts on these topics come with a heavy heart for I fear I will never see progress
or resistance, but in these moments I think of Dr. Martin Luther King and when he said, “We
must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” With every person who
recognizes privilege and fights against oppression comes hope.
So I leave you with this thought Mr. Trump, who are you speaking of to “make America
great again” for? Because it surely isn’t me.
Sincerely,
Kristin Wagel

References
Allen, B. J. (2011). Difference matters: Communicating social identity. (Second Edition) Long
Grove, IL: Waveland Press.
Crosley-Corcoran, G. (2014, May 8). Explaining White Privilege to a Broke White Person. The
Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-
crosleycorcoran/explaining-white-privilege-to-a-broke-white-person_b_5269255.html
Friedan, B. (1963). The Problem That Has No Name. In K. Fermaglich (Ed). The Feminine
Mystic (pp. 15-32). New York, NY: Norton & Company, Inc.
Hamilton, J. (2012, Sept. 11). My American Dream Sounds Like The Jackson 5. National Public
Radio. Podcast retrieved from:
http://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2012/09/11/157673079/my-american-dream-
sounds-like-the-jackson-5
Kulwicki, C. (2008). Real Sex Education. In J. Friedman & J. Valenti (Eds). Yes means yes!:
visions of sexual power & a world without rape (pp. 305-312). Berkeley, CA: Seal
Press.
Langston, D. (1988). Tired of Playing Monopoly? In J. Whitehorse Cochran, D. Langston, & C.
Woodward (Eds). Changing Our Power: An Introduction to Women’s Studies.
Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt.
Lorde, A. (1978). The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action. Sinister Wisdom, 6,
41-44.

McIntosh, P. (1988). White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack. White Privilege and
Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming To See Correspondences through Work
in Women's Studies. Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, Wellesley:
MA.
West, L. (2012, May 5). D’Angelo Learns How It Feels to be Objectified, and It Doesn’t Feel
Good. Jezebel. Retrieved from: http://jezebel.com/5913250/dangelo-learns-how-it-
feels-to-be-objectified-and-it-doesnt-feel-good

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