The concept of privilege is one that is very frequently misunderstood. By definition, privilege is a a right or benefit that is given to some people and not to others, but in the context of our society, it is not that simple. The concept of privilege has been so severely stigmatized that people who have it often respond with feelings of guilt, or get defensive about having these systematic advantages. Before educating myself, I had many of these feelings of guilt too, which is why it is crucial to move past this guilt and do your own duty to understand privilege and all that it entails.
Privilege is not only limited to white privilege; there is also the privilege of being straight, the privilege of being male in this male-dominated society, and the list goes on. Society’s socially constructed norms automatically advantage those who fit society’s criteria of “normal.” Those who don’t, face obstacles daily that are practically invisible to those who are lucky enough not to struggle with these issues every single day. In a country where you are the majority of a certain identity, you do not have to face the prejudices that minorities do.
Taking steps to have real, honest conversations about social issues is one way to become educated while simultaneously educating others. The first step is to be aware of your privilege and how it operates within society. It is extremely imperative to internalize that certain groups are disadvantaged both socially and institutionally solely due to their identities, and that we can use our voices to educate others about racial issues.
The next step is understanding your positionality. For example, when a woman speaks up about feminism, her message tends to be overlooked. On the other hand, if a man were giving the same message about the importance of feminism, people start to play closer attention. This eye-opening video explains the way a woman’s positionality made a huge difference, and how you could make a difference like this every single day. If the woman would have spoken up for herself, she would have been accused of pulling the "race card," perpetuating the idea that she is just an "angry black woman." This is a prime example of the way positionality operates in our society and how sometimes messages are understood differently depending on who is sending them.
If you are fortunate enough to have this privilege, it is important to be educated in order to be able to step into the conversation when necessary and amplify the voices of those who are silenced by society’s divisive ways.
