Recently while walking around campus, I noticed for the first time a bulletin board in a glass case outside of a popular on-campus restaurant. The information on the bulletin talked about christian privilege, white privilege, male privilege and a few other categories concerning the topic of privilege. To be honest, I had never looked much into the subject until I went home later that day. What I read, kind of, astounded me.
There were many articles, based mainly on oppression or discrimination of certain ages, sexes, classes, identities or races. The claimed oppressors were mainly hierarchical white christian males. I understand there is evil, discrimination and a rabid inequality in the world. However, is it really fair to place fault on someone for being born a certain skin color, for choosing a certain religion or for being a certain gender? Do all white christian males look down on others in society? I can answer at least for my family, and that is a big fat no. I believe that it has become a stereotype. To me, it also sounds a lot like hypocrisy.
A few days ago, I had a required meeting with my resident advisor, that everyone has to do, and at the end of the meeting she handed me this piece of paper. On it contained information about privilege and what it means. I knew that if I looked at that piece of paper, what would it tell me? I am a white, middle-class gender conforming woman. Therefore, I am privileged.
I am not saying people are more or less oppressed than others, but there is oppression everywhere. It may be a different kind of oppression than someone else or others might be dealing with. I have to worry about walking alone at night and going to fraternities in college, but does that make me oppressed or is it common sense to worry about these things? It does not make it any less important.
The world is changing constantly. This generation is more accepting and vying for change than ever before. People are more expressive and experimental than ever before. Gays now have rights; they can get married in most states. While women are still fighting for complete equality, we have made leaps and bounds over an ocean compared to 1950. People who do not identify are accepted in society, which is a concept that would have been unfathomable 100 years ago. The point is the world is changing. It is changing for hope and for acceptance.
I firmly do not believe privilege needs to be talked about because who knows? Maybe in another 50 years roles will reverse. I believe in the harmony ethic. I believe in consensus and acceptance. I don't believe blaming or stereotyping a certain race, gender, religion or class for a certain group of people feeling oppressed. That's just as unjust or unfair as someone telling you that you can't get married because of your sexuality, or someone telling you that you can't work a construction job because you are women. I do not care if you are purple, red, or blue, have three vaginas, two penises, or both. I don't care if you are poor or rich or somewhere in-between. If you look at an x-ray, we are all the same underneath. We should all accept each other for what makes us who we are. We are all human.
