--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can take a job with an affirmative…" description: "\"I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having my co-workers on the job suspect that I got it because of my race.\" — Peggy McIntosh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4b/peggy-mcintosh-34173_action_i-can-take-a-job-with-an-affirmative-act_397009.png" --- # I can take a job with an affirmative action employer… ![“I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having my co-workers on the job suspect that I got it because of my race.” quote by Peggy McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4b/peggy-mcintosh-34173_action_i-can-take-a-job-with-an-affirmative-act_397009.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4b/peggy-mcintosh-34173_action_i-can-take-a-job-with-an-affirmative-act_397009.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4b/peggy-mcintosh-34173_action_i-can-take-a-job-with-an-affirmative-act_397009.png) > “I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having my co-workers on the job suspect that I got it because of my race.” [Peggy McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-mcintosh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledges that working in a diverse environment doesn’t automatically reveal the source of one’s employment, highlighting subtle bias dynamics. **In simple terms:** You can work without obvious bias. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden biases. Themes equality workplace bias Mood reflective critical Type analytical thought‑provoking When to use this quote - hiring processes - team collaboration - performance reviews Key Concepts systemic privilege affirmative action Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure fairness in hiring? - What signs indicate unseen bias? A Different Perspective Assuming bias absence may overlook subtle discrimination. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Affirmative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirmative/) [Affirmative action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirmative-action/) [Employers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employers/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workers/) ## Related quotes > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [If it weren’t so off-putting for my co-workers. 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Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [However self-sufficient we may fancy ourselves, we exist only in relation -- to our friend, family, and life partners; to those we teach and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-bell/however-self-sufficient-we-may-fancy-ourselves-we-exist-only-in/) [Derrick Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-bell/) > [I always get so overwhelmed trying to do everything perfectly. I can't do a job and not put everything I have into it. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/i-always-get-so-overwhelmed-trying-to-do-everything-perfectly-i-can-t/) [Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/) ## More by Peggy McIntosh > [It seems to me that obliviousness about white advantage, like obliviousness about male advantage, is kept strongly inculturated in the United States so as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-mcintosh/it-seems-to-me-that-obliviousness-about-white-advantage-like/) [Peggy McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-mcintosh/) > [White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-mcintosh/white-privilege-is-like-an-invisible-weightless-knapsack-of-special/) [Peggy McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-mcintosh/) > [White privilege is the unquestioned and unearned set of advantages, entitlements benefits and choices bestowed on people solely because they are white. Generally white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-mcintosh/white-privilege-is-the-unquestioned-and-unearned-set-of-advantages/) [Peggy McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-mcintosh/) > [Most talk by whites about equal opportunity seems to me now to be about equal opportunity to try to get into a position of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-mcintosh/most-talk-by-whites-about-equal-opportunity-seems-to-me-now-to-be/) [Peggy McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-mcintosh/) > [As a white person, I realized I had been taught about racism as something that puts others at a disadvantage, but had been taught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-mcintosh/as-a-white-person-i-realized-i-had-been-taught-about-racism-as/) [Peggy McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-mcintosh/) > [If my day, week, or year is going badly, I need not ask of each negative episode or situation whether it has racial overtones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-mcintosh/if-my-day-week-or-year-is-going-badly-i-need-not-ask-of-each-negative/) [Peggy McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-mcintosh/) > [I was taught to see racism only in individual acts of meanness, not in invisible systems conferring dominance on my group](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-mcintosh/i-was-taught-to-see-racism-only-in-individual-acts-of-meanness-not-in/) [Peggy McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-mcintosh/) > [Privilege exists when one group has something of value that is denied to others simply because of the groups they belong to, rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-mcintosh/privilege-exists-when-one-group-has-something-of-value-that-is-denied/) [Peggy McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-mcintosh/) > [For me white privilege has turned out to be an elusive and fugitive subject. The pressure to avoid it is great, for in facing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-mcintosh/for-me-white-privilege-has-turned-out-to-be-an-elusive-and-fugitive/) [Peggy McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-mcintosh/) > [one question for me and others like me is whether ... we will get truly distressed, even outraged, about unearned race advantage and conferred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-mcintosh/one-question-for-me-and-others-like-me-is-whether-we-will-get-truly/) [Peggy McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-mcintosh/) > [I think whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-mcintosh/i-think-whites-are-carefully-taught-not-to-recognize-white-privilege/) [Peggy McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-mcintosh/) > [Whites are taught to think of their lives as morally neutral, normative, and average, and also ideal, so that when we work to benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-mcintosh/whites-are-taught-to-think-of-their-lives-as-morally-neutral/) [Peggy McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-mcintosh/) > [Power from unearned privilege can look like strength when it is in fact permission to escape or to dominate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-mcintosh/power-from-unearned-privilege-can-look-like-strength-when-it-is-in/) [Peggy McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-mcintosh/) [Explore all 14 Peggy McIntosh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-mcintosh/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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