You Have Been Given Something
One of the folks I have interacted with on Facebook said that the word 'privilege' conveyed the sense that he have been given some tangible benefit. He asserted he had not. He said benefit have been taken away from disadvantaged people. I agree that benefit has been taken away from some folks, but I disagree that he has received no benefit. This is my response below.
And yet you have been given something. You've been given the freedom from fear that you will be pulled over because of the color of your skin. You've been given the freedom from the need to tell your children how to behave around the police so that they don't get killed. You've been given the ability to rent an apartment without the fear of being turned down because of the color of your skin. This freedom, from fear in particular, is a very real thing.
You might say that this is just stuff that's taken away from the brown folks. But it is a benefit. Freedom from fear is a real thing. And quite possibly, you've received quite tangible benefits. There's a good chance you're paid better than the comparable brown person or woman. And maybe even received quicker promotion. Certainly your job is more secure.
And being a woman in this culture is nearly as bad as being brown. Being told to smile because it make me pretty. Being complimented on my breasts on a daily basis.
The thing about privilege is that when you're in it you don't see it. It seems natural. It seems like that's how things are supposed to work. You don't get the daily reminder than you're brown or female. That's why when I'm asked to check my privilege I try to actually check. I'm fairly 'woke' so I'm trying hard to not trade on my position, but I do check to see if I can make it better.
I'm guessing you don't know me so I'll give some specs. I'm a white, male, hetero-normative and college educated. I'm a retired professional computer programmer. I'm as WASPy as it gets. I am the face of the patriarchy. I'm precisely the guy that gets all the benefits. And I have. That's why I check my privilege.
And yet you have been given something. You've been given the freedom from fear that you will be pulled over because of the color of your skin. You've been given the freedom from the need to tell your children how to behave around the police so that they don't get killed. You've been given the ability to rent an apartment without the fear of being turned down because of the color of your skin. This freedom, from fear in particular, is a very real thing.
You might say that this is just stuff that's taken away from the brown folks. But it is a benefit. Freedom from fear is a real thing. And quite possibly, you've received quite tangible benefits. There's a good chance you're paid better than the comparable brown person or woman. And maybe even received quicker promotion. Certainly your job is more secure.
And being a woman in this culture is nearly as bad as being brown. Being told to smile because it make me pretty. Being complimented on my breasts on a daily basis.
The thing about privilege is that when you're in it you don't see it. It seems natural. It seems like that's how things are supposed to work. You don't get the daily reminder than you're brown or female. That's why when I'm asked to check my privilege I try to actually check. I'm fairly 'woke' so I'm trying hard to not trade on my position, but I do check to see if I can make it better.
I'm guessing you don't know me so I'll give some specs. I'm a white, male, hetero-normative and college educated. I'm a retired professional computer programmer. I'm as WASPy as it gets. I am the face of the patriarchy. I'm precisely the guy that gets all the benefits. And I have. That's why I check my privilege.
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