Understanding Privilege

Imagine that two students in your class come into school one day and tell your teacher that they lost their homework. One student is white and the other is a student of color. The teacher believes that the white student truly lost their homework and does not give them a punishment. However, the teacher thinks that the student of color was too lazy to do the homework and is lying about having lost it. The teacher gives this student detention and calls their parents. This is how systems of privilege work. 

Privilege can be applicable to every identity group. An individual is considered to have privilege if they possess advantages over others solely based on their membership in a certain identity group. These advantages are not earned or “won,” but rather achieved through affiliation. For example, due to stereotypes and prejudices discussed in previous articles, Black people are often perceived as dangerous or prone to getting in trouble with the law. Therefore, a white person walking into a store has privilege over a Black person walking into a store as it is much less likely that the white person is going to be suspected of stealing. The white person does not have this privilege because of something they did to prove that they would not steal, but simply because of the color of their skin - this phenomenon is commonly known as “white privilege.” Similarly, the Black person does not have a disadvantage because they did anything to provoke the belief that they would steal, but because of the color of their skin. 

Another example of privilege has to do with sexual orientation. Heterosexual people have privilege over those with other sexual orientations (gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc.). Although heterosexual people may experience challenges in their daily lives, those challenges will not be related to their sexual orientation. Heterosexual people are able to benefit from many social constructs in our present world, while homosexual or pansexual people may not receive these same benefits. Before 2015, same-sex couples were not legally allowed to get married in the United States. This restriction undoubtedly affected the lives of hundreds of thousands of homosexual couples across the country. On the contrary, heterosexual couples have never had to worry about their legal ability to marry. 

A more overlooked instance of privilege shows up in the divide between people with disabilities and people who are fully able-bodied. Naturally, those who do not experience disabilities have privilege over those who do. Once again, although able-bodied people may experience challenges in their daily lives, they will not be related to their ability status. 28.3% of students with disabilities reported experiencing microaggressions in their social work classes; this type of discrimination is not something that would cross the mind of a student without a disability.*

As demonstrated in the examples above, privilege can determine fundamental aspects of an individual’s life. People born into wealthy families have greater access to good quality education and academic opportunities than those born into low-income families. Having privilege does not exactly determine one’s outcomes in life, but it makes it more probable that that person will achieve success given their natural circumstances. Because of the power imbalance that privilege contributes to, it can feel uncomfortable to acknowledge and discuss your own privilege. However, coming to terms with your privilege can also allow you to use your standing to promote more equitable outcomes for those who are less privileged than you. 

Additionally, intersectionality is extremely important to take into account when discussing and recognizing privilege. Because each person is made up of many different identities, their privilege can vary based on each of those identities. A person can be privileged based on their race or ethnicity, but experience disadvantages compared to a peer with a different sexual orientation, for instance. In this way, your individual privilege will show up (or not show up) depending on the scenario and people involved. 

Here are some tips for discussing privilege: 

1. Establish which groups in society have privilege and which do not (this article is a great place to start!).

2. Recognize that having privilege does not mean you have to feel guilty for your privilege. 

3. Find ways to challenge systems of privilege and oppression in your everyday life.

4. Remember that the degree to which people experience privilege must be placed in the context of their individual identity and life experiences. 

In conclusion, understanding your privilege can help you better comprehend the circumstances of those around you and how certain groups of people are treated in systems and societies that are not designed for them to thrive. Recognizing your privilege shows compassion and self-awareness and can prevent you from unintentionally invalidating or silencing people who are different from you. 

*The touched-on identity groups illustrate just a few examples of how privilege can exacerbate divides between communities. Others include gender, age, religion, nationality, and body type.