A video of a white high school student publicly talking about race has gone viral, but not for the reasons one might expect when they hear the phrase 'privileged white teenager'.

In May, 14-year-old Royce Mann participated in a poetry slam at his private school in Atlanta, Georgia and took home the first place prize for the poem he wrote, which he called White Boy Privilege.

In it, the eighth grader is brutally honest about the ways in which he better off because he isn't black, Asian-American, Native American, or a woman — and signs off with a call to action to change that.

Scroll down for video

Being bold: Royce Mann, 14, wrote a poem called White Boy Privilege for his private school's poetry slam

Though the video was filmed at the Paideia School in May, it has recently gained momentum online after being posted on YouTube by Royce's mom, Sheri Mann Stewart.

As the clip begins, a fellow student introduces him to the audience, which is made up of other kids and teachers. Royce takes the microphone and announces the name of his poem — leading to a few hushed whispers through the room before he starts.

'Dear women, I’m sorry,' he starts. 'Dear black people, I’m sorry. Dear Asian-Americans, dear Native Americans, dear immigrants who come here seeking a better life, I’m sorry.

'Dear everyone who isn’t a middle or upper class white boy, I’m sorry. I have started life on the top of the ladder while you were born on the first rung.

'I say now that I would change places with you in an instant, but if given the opportunity, would I?Probably not.'

Speaking entirely from memory, the teen explains: 'Because to be honest, being privileged is awesome. I’m not saying that you and me on different rungs of the ladder is how I want it to stay. I’m not saying that any part of me has for a moment even liked it that way.

'I’m just saying that I f***in' love being privileged and I’m not willing to give that away,' he says emphatically. 'I love it because I can say "f***in" and not one of you is attributing that to the fact that everyone with my skin color has a dirty mouth.

Here, a woman — presumably a member of the faculty — can be heard saying 'hmmmm', either in annoyed agreement or disapproval.

'I love it because I don’t have to spend an hour every morning putting on make-up to meet other people’s standards,' he goes on, addressing his privilege as a boy instead of a girl.

Not fair: The eighth grader (pictured here when he was younger) took home first prize for the poem, which examines how white males are better off in American society

Recognize: Royce (pictured in 2011) pointed out that he doesn't face certain hardships because he was born a white male, as opposed to a minority or a woman

'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. I love it because when I see a police officer I see someone who is on my side.

'To be honest, I’m scared of what it would be like if I wasn’t on the top rung. If the tables were turned and I didn’t have my white boy privilege safety blankie to protect me.

'If I lived a life lit by what I lack, not by what I have, if I lived a life in which when I failed, the world would say, "Told you so." If I lived the life that you live.

'When I was born I had a success story already written for me,' he goes on while the audience sits rapt. 'You were given a pen and no paper. I’ve always felt that that was unfair but I’ve never dared to speak up because I’ve been too scared.

'Well now I realize that there’s enough blankie to be shared,' he adds, earning a bit of laughter from those listening.

'Everyone should have the privileges I have,' he recites, his voice getting increasingly louder. 'In fact they should be rights instead. Everyone’s story should be written, so all they have to do is get it read. Enough said.'

Then, he changed his mind: 'No, not enough said. It is embarrassing that we still live in a world in which we judge another person’s character by the size of their paycheck, the color of their skin, or the type of chromosomes they have.

'It is embarrassing that we tell our kids that it is not their personality, but instead those same chromosomes that get to dictate what color clothes they wear and how short they must cut their hair. But most of all, it is embarrassing that we deny this. That we claim to live in an equal country, an equal world.

You're not the victims, dudes: He tells 'white boys' that it's 'bulls***' that 'feminists are taking over the world' and Black Lives Matter is getting ' a little too strong'

Impressed: His classmates offered him a round of applause — and some high fives — and the internet has since joined in

'We say that women can vote. Well guess what: they can run a country, own a company, and throw a nasty curve ball as well. We just don’t give them the chance to.

'I know it wasn’t us eighth grade white boys who created this system, but we profit from it every day,' he admits boldly. 'We don’t notice these privileges though, because they don’t come in the form of things we gain, but rather the lack of injustices that we endure.

'Because of my gender, I can watch any sport on TV, and feel that that could be me one day. Because of my race I can eat at a fancy restaurant without wait staff expecting me to steal the silverware. Thanks to my parents’ salary I go to a school that brings my dreams closer instead of pushing them away.'

Finally, he shifts his focus, addressing not the women and minorities that he holds privilege over but his fellow 'privileged white boys'.

'Dear white boys: I’m not sorry,' he says before addressing some of their concerns. 'I don’t care if you think that the feminists are taking over the world, that the Black Lives Matter movement has gotten a little too strong, because that’s bulls***.

'I get that change can be scary, but equality shouldn’t be. Hey white boys: it’s time to act like a woman. To be strong and make a difference. It’s time to let go of that fear. It’s time to take that ladder and turn it into a bridge,' he concludes before walking of the stage to thunderous applause — and a high five from a classmate.

Since the clip was posted, viewers have been taking to social media to praise the wise, open-minded youngster.

'This 8th grader is one amazing kid,' said one. Another wrote: 'God bless him, his mind, body, and soul. This was beautiful.'

Even actress Taraji P. Henson of the hit Fox show Empire tweeted her support, sharing a link and writing: #TheTRUTH GOD BLESS THIS LITTLE BRAVE ANGEL!!!'

Of course, there have been a view commenters who've been less than impressed, writing things like: 'The idea of white privilege is very absurd and a delusion.'