What is “Privilege?”
“Privilege” means the advantages that come from being part of a dominant or majority group (White, male, heterosexual, non-disabled, etc. ).
When we think about racism and discrimination, we often think about deliberate acts towards a disadvantaged group – hurtful words, tasteless jokes, exclusion from work or school, and so on – but it can just as easily take the form of privileges given to members of a more advantaged group. Unlike those other forms of discrimination, these advantages may go unnoticed by members of the advantaged group for a variety of reasons:
- The benefits of privilege are, for those who enjoy them, the ordinary conditions of daily life and are likely to be seen as “normal” rather than the result of an imbalance of power.
- Thinking about privilege means looking at our own lives. To accept that we benefit from privilege is to accept that our successes are not 100 percent the product of our hard work, but are also because of advantages we received that were denied to others.
- Because privilege is taken for granted, people can feel like they are being personally criticized when confronted with discussions of privilege. In order to spare feelings or save face, people often deny that privilege exists.
- Privilege is built into how our society works. A big part of privilege is opportunities that are not available to members of non-privileged groups. As a result, the benefits of privilege may seem small, but missing out on them can cause serious setbacks and can significantly narrow one’s horizons.
It’s important to understand that being a member of a privileged group doesn’t mean that everything is easy for you, just that you don’t face challenges that members of disadvantaged groups do. It’s also possible (and common) to be a member of a privileged group in one respect (race, sex, etc.) and a member of a disadvantaged group in another.