Responding to a post in where Rob Knop laments that despite taking on white male privilege he is still considered privilege (and regards the fight as un-winable) Irrational Point states:
It is true that men who speak out about these issues risk not being taken seriously by their white male colleagues. But staying quiet de facto upholds the status quo (it’s not possible to be neutral on this issue — to do so is to avail yourself of the privilege of being white, male, etc). That’s not to trivialise the whacking that men get when they bring up equality issues — yes it’s hurtful, yes it’s unfair. But men who talk about gender equity might come under fire, but it’s women and minorities who are on the front line. The going is tough for women and minorities all the time, not just when they speak out about equality issues.
This isn’t about “I’m more oppressed than you” competitions. It is about accepting that challenging your own privilege isn’t easy or pleasant work, but it is necessasry if men are going to take part in changing the structural inequalities that exist.
The Blog and the Bullet 