Use Your Difference to Make a Difference

9Privilege

So what exactly is privilege? Privilege is a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group of people. This term has caused a lot of discomfort for many people, because sometimes some people feel that they are being blamed for something and other times, some people feel like they have to take on guilt and shame of some shape and form. Here's the thing, though: It isn't about that. It is about acknowledging and dealing with the societal, political, and institutional discrimination that plagues our world today. Your privilege can be your superpower if you use it to break down the cycles of oppression that exist today and become an ally. If you recognize your privilege and act on the influence it has, you can create a more connected world because your group is treated as the standard, while other groups are compared to yours.

One more thing: It is entirely possible to be privileged and oppressed at the same time. We'll tackle that idea later; first I want to address the following privileges: class, able-bodied, education, gender, gender identity, passing, racial, religious, sexuality, and citizenship.

Types of Privilege

Take a look at the following types of privilege and see which one(s) you identify with. If you have privilege, you have an opportunity to create more access systematically.

Class privilege: This is privilege relating to your social class or standing in society. Your standing in society is determined ...