A home improvement warehouse in Canada came under fire and sparked calls for a boycott after it showed an employee notice explaining the concept of “white privilege”, which included a checklist of privileges for whites, males, Christians, cisgender, able-bodied. , and heterosexual.
The controversial flyer is titled “Best Practices: The Privilege of Unboxing” and includes the Home Depot logo.
The printout was posted in the Home Depot employee canteen located in Calgary, Alberta, where it was photographed and widely shared online. Twitter on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the Atlanta-based Home Depot told on Tuesday that the notice is a “resource” in the company’s Canadian division, “and not part of any necessary program.”
A Home Depot store in Calgary, Alberta has come under fire for displaying a “white privilege” information pack in the employee canteen.
The printout encourages people to talk about “white privilege” and offers tips on starting a conversation with the “uninformed”.
The progressive information package begins with a general definition of the word “privilege”, followed by an explanation of the terms “social privilege” and “white privilege”. The latter is defined as “a social privilege that benefits white people beyond what people of color typically experience in the same social, political, and economic circumstances.”
The next section of the package is titled “What a Privilege Looks Like” and includes examples of privileged behavior.
“If you believe the police are there to protect you, you have white privilege,” one ad reads.
Another states, “If college was your expectation and not your dream as a child, you have class privilege.”
A third states, “If you can count on time off from work to celebrate your religious holidays, you have the privilege of Christina.”
The reading material also includes a separate section on racism, racial prejudice, and power, followed by a comic book-style description of a conversation between two people about white privilege and how uncomfortable it is to talk about it.
Are you using your privilege? asks one cartoon character in a speech bubble.
A Home Depot spokesperson said the package was a Canadian division resource, was not approved by headquarters, and is not part of any “mandatory programming.” Pictured: Home Depot in Edmonton, Alberta.
“I never thought about it,” replies another.
The other section of the package encourages people to start a conversation about privilege and offers advice on dealing with this “uncomfortable” topic with those who are “ignorant” or “protective”.
Critics immediately lashed out at Home Depot for imposing “awakened” values on its employees, and many threatened to stop shopping at the home improvement giant, which has 2,300 stores across North America.
“Welcome to the Home Depot Commissariat,” tweeted Dr. Jordan Peterson, clinical psychologist and author. “How can our capitalist corporations be so blind to their own interests?”
Others, however, applauded Home Depot for addressing the topic of “white privilege” in the workplace.
“I really appreciate @HomeDepot having this conversation with their staff,” one Twitter user tweeted. “Or at least they inspire reflection on the privilege that millions get, but often don’t even know it,” wrote one user on Twitter.
Another chimed in: “Wow, it’s weird how this information takes you right out of your comfort zone. I found it interesting to read and thought provoking. It’s sad that the thought of studying something that is contrary to your own thoughts can evoke such negative emotions and comments.”
A Home Depot spokesperson attempted to remove the company from the information package.
“While we fully support diversity within our company, this material has not been created or endorsed by our corporate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion department,” she said.