Uncomfortable Conversations With Yourself: Privilege
Privilege is a difficult concept for many people to understand. Perhaps because we associate the term with financial wealth and its associated advantages. However, in a social or sociological sense, privilege is much broader than economic status. In "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack," Peggy McIntosh describes privilege as "an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was ‘meant’ to remain oblivious." McIntosh goes on to explain how her status as a white woman lends "unearned advantage and conferred dominance," which she had previously thought to be universal human experiences.
White privilege/racial privilege is discussed most often but there are many types of privilege. In fact, "most of us are privileged in at least one way. That doesn't mean we didn't work hard or that we didn't experience any other hardships in life. Privilege can be hard to admit and even harder to talk about but it is important to understand our own privilege so we can give a voice to those less privileged." Privilege is the unearned benefits that certain people receive in society based on their identity (e.g.: Race, ethnicity, sexuality, age, gender, disability status, etc). What makes it really difficult to identify one's own privilege is that we aren't supposed to notice; the world is designed to suit privileged identities such that they never notice how disadvantaged identites are harmed. A simple example of this is how an able-bodied person may not notice how few accessible stations exist within the NYC subway system and how frequently many of the few existing elevators are out-of-order. However, a physically disabled person, especially a wheelchair user, is actively excluded from one of the largest most-used public transit systems in the world. The NYC subway is designed to benefit able-bodied people, while that same design harms disabled people.
With all that in mind, take a moment to have a potentially uncomfortable conversation with yourself. These questions are a good place to start:
What aspects of your identity are privileged?
What are some of the unearned advantages you have benefitted from? Consider using a privilege checklist for examples.
Can you use your privilege to seek equity for those without privilege? If so, how?
Sometimes equity requires giving up/renouncing privilege; what are you willing to give up in the pursuit of equity?
