Checking Your Privilege

It’s been another tough week. The injustices we’re witnessing are close to home, and we have to address them.

Let’s talk about privilege.

Privilege is often seen as a buzzword, thrown around to try to downplay people’s accomplishments or make straight, white men uncomfortable. As with any movement towards societal change, there are people who use this word out of context, without any real understanding of its root. When we talk about privilege, it’s not about taking away the importance of someone’s success, disregarding their hard work, or believing that everything they’ve earned was handed to them. Instead, it’s about recognizing that many people don’t have the same luxuries when navigating the world.

If you are privileged, this simply means that you have the ability to go about your day with fewer worries and distractions. You can feel more confident knowing that the world was “made for you”. Unfortunately, the “you” we’re seeing as most privileged, is an incredibly small part of the population.

Jordann Mason, Community Outreach Director

• If you can leave your house alone, without fear of being sexually assaulted, you have privilege.

• If you can enter a business, knowing that it’s workers will be able to understand and communicate with you, you have privilege.

• If your child (young or old) can leave the house without fear of being targeted by police, either because of their race, their mental health, or their physical/intellectual ability, you have privilege.

• If you don’t have to share your phone’s location with your friends before going on a date, you have privilege.

• If the people who make the laws in our country look like you, you have privilege.