Having privilege doesn’t mean you are inherently evil, unless you wield said privilege to do evil things. Having privilege doesn’t mean you are inherently racist, unless you wield said privilege to do/say/think racist things.
Having privilege doesn’t mean you are need to be ashamed of it, unless you unabashedly deny you have privilege when you so obviously do.
How do you know you have privilege? Here are some examples.
- If you are/were born male, you have male privilege.
- If you are/were born White, you have White privilege.
- If you are/were born cis, you have cis privilege.
- If you are/were born straight, you have straight privilege.
- If you are/were born middle-class or above, you have class privilege.
- If you are able-bodied, you have non-disabled privilege.
- If you went to graduated high school, attended college, have your BA, and/or hold an advanced degree (MA, PhD) you have an educational privilege.
- If you are/were born in America, you have American privilege.
- If you any combo of the above, you are still privileged.
You can’t help which privileges you have because you were born with them. Again, privilege doesn’t automatically make you a bad person. It just means you have an advantage (however slight) over those who do no possess your same privilege. Please, just recognize your privilege, and check it at the door.
If I can do it, you can, too. Trust.
Nehhhh something doesn’t quite sit right with the “if you were born male, you have male privilege”, but I agree with the rest of the list.
(via lipsbetweenthehips)
