We live in a time where everyone is constantly talking about rights and equality. We hear about minorities not being treated fairly, women being demeaned, the LGBT community being denied rights, and poor people being ignored. But society ignores the fact that every group of people has their own problems. Straight, white, middle-class males also face a set of unique struggles.
When I was a kid, I could never find a crayon to color in my family; the white didn’t show up on the paper and no one's skin is that orange (except maybe Snooki's and Donald Trump's). People constantly ask if my eyes are blue or green, and I can’t sit outside in the summer wearing anything less than SPF 75. After just one look at me, society assumes that I can’t dance or jump, and the only way I could be good at basketball is if I shoot threes.
I get made fun of for my stereotypical “white” name because there are thousands of Matthews and Jacobs and Joshuas and Bens in the world. People assume that I know how to play golf and watch Nascar and think that I automatically know the words to whatever the most recent Taylor Swift single is. And the issues don’t just stop there.
The real problems come when people compare me to those of other races, sexualities, genders, or social classes. Affirmative action meant that I had to work harder to get into college, and once I got there, I got some financial aid, but not as much as I think I should have. People keep telling me I get paid a dollar to a woman’s 77 cents, but I think we should all just keep our eyes on our own paychecks. The members of the LGBT community are all angry about their rights to get married, have kids, and go to the bathroom where they want, but I just want to know why we have to talk so much about sexualities.
People make a lot of assumptions about straight, white, middle-class males. But I am more than those four definitions. I want people to stop worrying about my race, sexuality, social class, and gender. Get to know me before you judge.
Okay, but seriously now.
Please keep in mind that the part above was a satire. I know that everyone in the world faces problems of their own, many of which I will never know about. I also want everyone to keep in mind that I fit all of those categories, too, with the exception of straight. The purpose of the satire above was to point out the privilege that members of this community have, and hopefully help some recognize their own privilege.
Straight, white men have held power for a very long time, and still do--in this country and many more around the world. In the United States, they hold the majority of the political offices, get paid more than other demographics and don’t face systematic racism or discrimination on a daily basis. They don’t have to fight for their right to get married and have children or have to worry that they may be injured or killed because of something they can’t control or worry about being objectified and demeaned by their bosses, coworkers, and the media.
The reason you never hear “#WhiteLivesMatter” or have to worry about Straight Rights or have to campaign for fair treatment of men in the workplace and media is because they don’t have to worry about their rights or equality in this country. The Constitution was handwritten by straight, white men. For the longest time, it was only white men who could own land and vote. Throughout the majority of American history, straight, white men have reigned supreme, and although Women’s Suffrage, the Civil Rights Movement, and LGBT movements have narrowed the gap, our work isn’t done.
Transgender people can’t go to the bathroom where they want to in some states. Black people fear for their lives when they get pulled over by cops. Women still get paid less than their male counterparts and are treated like sexual objects by the media. Those of lesser means are often overlooked or vilified by people of higher classes.
The goal of this article is not to make all of the straight, white, middle-class males of the world feel bad about themselves or feel guilty about their privilege. But they do need to recognize the advantages they have been dealt in life. No one wants to be judged just because of the categories they’re placed in, but they will continue to be emphasized until we decide we want to do what America has always preached and have liberty and justice for all.
