No, I'm not proud to be white. Not proud to be male. I don't have any problems with being those things, but they're not things I'm proud of, especially
It's not because I feel guilty about what other white male people have done. I don't. That's their action. It has nothing to do with me. I don't feel guilty. I love my skin. I love my penis. I love being male
The reason I'm not especially proud to be white or male is that they are not based on anything I have done. Being white, being male, were decided by forces other than me, before I was born—hard to say I had anything to do with those choices, isn't it? What influence did I have over becoming white? Becoming male? Absolutely none (in this lifetime)
So how much credit should I get for being white and male? In terms of what I have done with my life since I was born? Absolutely none
What am I proud of then?
I am in a successful relationship with my wife
I have written 25 books
I do tai chi
Those are the types of things I use the word "proud" for. Stuff that requires work, stuff that makes me sweat, stuff that needs my effort day in and day out. That's what I'm proud of
If you're proud of your skin color, of your genitalia, maybe step back and consider that those things were done by someone else, at another time and another place
What I do that makes me proud is stuff that I do in the here and now