“I get that change should be scary, but equality shouldn’t be” – Royce Mann
14 year old Royce Mann won first place at a poetry slam back in May for his poem titled “White Boy Privilege”. He starts out the poem brutally honest, bragging that he enjoys the privilege of being born White and male, saying it’s like “being born at the top of the latter”, while everyone else is born on the first rung:
On The Privilege of Being Male:
“I love it, because I don’t have to spend an hour every morning putting on makeup to meet other people’s standards.”
On The Privilege of Having a Socioeconomic Status of Upper Class:
“I love it, because I can worry about what kind of food is on my plate, instead of whether or not there will be food on my plate.”
On The Privilege of Being White:
“I love it because when I see a police officer, I see someone who’s on my side”.
He also talks about the differences in the quality of education middle-to-upper class children get over children born into working class. He finishes the poem discussing how though White people didn’t create the system, they profit from it, and that needs to change:
“Dear White boys, I’m not sorry. I don’t care if you think the feminists are taking over the world and the Black Lives Matter movement has gotten a little too strong ’cause that’s bullshit. I get that change should be scary, but equality shouldn’t be.”
“It’s time to take that latter and turn it into a bridge”.
Watch below: