What Is Privilege?
I personally have such a great disdain for this word and concept, and I will tell you why. It applies to every aspect of our lives and has allowed the vitriol hatred we experience to grow beyond what human kindness can bare.
We have all heard/seen the "Karens & Kens" of the world who feel privileged enough to say and do whatever they want to get their way. However, the quick answer to the question, "Do I have privilege?" is YES! If you are living and breathing ~ you have privilege.
Privilege does not necessarily mean that you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. However, it certainly is one of the factors. Let's start with race. If you are one race and move into a neighborhood that is predominantly another race, you may feel afraid to simply leave your house for a neighborhood run. You might also be cut out of neighborhood involvement because they feel privileged to do so. You may not get the job you are truly qualified for simply because of the color of your skin.
As a non-disabled person, you have the privilege of access to buildings, parking spaces, and comfortable work environments without additional configurations. Some feel so privileged in this area that they get upset over handicapped parking spaces and sometimes just take them for the sake of doing so. On the flip side of that you have people with disabilities who ask for accommodations that are completely unreasonable to the environment in which they are asking.
Heterosexuals have the privilege of not worrying about "coming out of the closet" each time they are exposed to a new environment or someone new. They can also readily drop their children off at school without worrying about them being questioned and/or bullied if they have two moms or two dads.
How about privilege in any workforce? Male pay compared to female pay; "beautiful" people getting promoted over those who are perceived not to be; that behavior of complete superiority over your subordinates - and acting on it; hazing a new hire simply because you feel you are entitled to, and more!
The one that gets me every single time is patience or rather the lack thereof. There are people that stand in line at a busy store and think that they can move the check-out line faster by yelling at the clerk. How about the people who get upset at a restaurant or bar when their order does not come out fast enough to their liking? Yeah - they are always fun people to be around!
And then you have those within all generations who run the full gauntlet, "I want what I want, when and where I want it!" How do these people have friends or relationships of any sort? Often these people are the catalyst of many arguments and downright brawls!
Although self-reflection may be difficult for many people, it is important to sit down and recognize you may have unearned advantages over other people through no fault of their own. By working through your discomfort, you can utilize your privilege in a way that promotes more equitable outcomes for others in society. This in of itself can be difficult for all of us because of the constant messaging we receive in all different forms (education, media, peers, etc.) about all of these forms of anti-isms.
Pay attention to your conversations specifically to the vocabulary you use. If you are putting any person or group down - your privilege card is out and you NEED TO CHECK YOURSELF! The more willing you are to think critically about your privilege, the more comfortable you can become using your privilege to enact social change.
Do You Want To Make An Impact On Society?
Examine the ways that you could use your privilege in your daily life to help those in marginalized spaces.
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