‘White People’: Controversial MTV Documentary Forces White People To Confront Their ‘White Privilege’ [Video]

MTV will premier a controversial documentary on July 22, 2015, at 8/7c. The documentary called White People is set to examine topics such as white privilege, affirmative action and racial identity.

Pulitzer Prize-winning filmmaker and journalist Jose Antonio Vargas says that the documentary was created with “the goal of starting some real and honest conversations in a thoughtful, judgment-free environment.” However, some say that “White People” is set to “shame” white people for “what they’ve done in America” causing many to break down in tears.

In the trailer for the “White People” documentary, you can see Jose Antonio Vargas confronting some white people about their racial identify. Though Vargas claims the documentary is “judgment-free,” the show’s website paints a slightly different picture. On the website for LookDifferent.org, the organization responsible for producing the “White People” documentary, the idea behind the project is clear. When clicking the link to “more on whiteness” you are taken to a screen that outlines exactly what “whiteness” is and why it matters to us all.

“Race isn’t biological – it’s a social construct that exists based on everyone in a community accepting it, and is usually created by the dominant group. But “just because race isn’t something biological, that doesn’t mean it’s not real.” People are treated differently based on their race. In America, that means white people are often given unearned advantages.”

As the brief paragraph points out, those creating the film believe strongly that white people are given “unearned advantages” simply due to a community accepted idea of race. The Look Different campaign says that though this generation is “the most diverse and inclusive generation ever” there is still work to be done.

“MTV’s ‘Look Different’ campaign is here to help you erase the hidden racial, gender and anti-LGBT bias all around us.”

MTV says it is just trying to help people uncover the “hidden” bias around us, while others say the documentary “White People” is offensive as it puts white people under an extremely judgmental light. What do you think? Is the documentary offensive or simply opening up a needed conversation?

[Image Credit: YouTube]