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Politics and Activism

Check Your Privilege

What must some people do to earn things that others are given at the moment they are born?

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Check Your Privilege
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Privilege (n): a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or

available only to a particular person or group of people.

In this video, there are several people of different races, genders, sexualities, and religions. These questions were asked to each of them:

  1. If your parents worked nights and weekends to support your family, take one step back.
  2. If you are able to move through the world without fear of sexual assault, take one step forward.
  3. If you can show affection for your romantic partner in public without fear of ridicule or violence, take one step forward.
  4. If you have ever been diagnosed as having a physical or mental illness/disability, take one step back.
  5. If the primary language spoken in your household growing up was not english, take one step back.
  6. If you came from a supportive family environment take one step forward.
  7. If you have ever tried to change your speech or mannerisms to gain credibility, take one step back.
  8. If you can go anywhere in the country, and easily find the kinds of hair products you need and/or cosmetics that match your skin color, take one step forward.
  9. If you were embarrassed about your clothes or house while growing up, take one step back.
  10. If you can make mistakes and not have people attribute your behavior to flaws in your racial/gender group, take one step forward.
  11. If you can legally marry the person you love, regardless of where you live, take one step forward.
  12. If you were born in the United States, take one step forward.
  13. If you or your parents have ever gone through a divorce, take one step back.
  14. If you felt like you had adequate access to healthy food growing up, take one step forward
  15. If you are reasonably sure you would be hired for a job based on your ability and qualifications, take one step forward.
  16. If you would never think twice about calling the police when trouble occurs, take one step forward.
  17. If you can see a doctor whenever you feel the need, take one step forward.
  18. If you feel comfortable being emotionally expressive/open, take one step forward.
  19. If you have ever been the only person of your race/gender/socio-economic status/sexual orientation in a classroom or workplace setting, please take one step back.
  20. If you took out loans for your education take one step back.
  21. If you get time off for your religious holidays, take one step forward.
  22. If you had a job during your high school and college years, take one step back.
  23. If you feel comfortable walking home alone at night, take one step forward.
  24. If you have ever traveled outside the United States, take one step forward.
  25. If you have ever felt like there was NOT adequate or accurate representation of your racial group, sexual orientation group, gender group, and/or disability group in the media, take one step back.
  26. If you feel confident that your parents would be able to financially help/support you if you were going through a financial hardship, take one step forward.
  27. If you have ever been bullied or made fun of based on something that you can’t change, take one step back.
  28. If there were more than 50 books in your house growing up, take one step forward.
  29. If you studied the culture or the history of your ancestors in elementary school take one step forward.
  30. If your parents or guardians attended college, take one step forward.
  31. If you ever went on a family vacation, take one step forward.
  32. If you can buy new clothes or go out to dinner when you want to, take one step forward.
  33. If you were ever offered a job because of your association with a friend or family member, take one step forward.
  34. If one of your parents was ever laid off or unemployed not by choice, take one step back.
  35. If you were ever uncomfortable about a joke or a statement you overheard related to your race, ethnicity, gender, appearance, or sexual orientation but felt unsafe to confront the situation, take one step back.

In this video, it is no surprise that Zack, the white male, has the most privilege out of anyone else involved in the experiment. Despite the U.S.'s impressively progressive society, prejudice still exists today. Employers may be more fond of an assertive, white, man rather than a homosexual African American just because, sadly, today still fear those who are different and steer away from what may be considered main stream.

Privilege is consisted of numerous factors that determine a person's outcome in life. These factors include, race, gender, sexuality, and/or social connections.


In this video, Jose submits two different resumes to companies: One with his name being his birth name with a Hispanic connotation, and the other with what would be considered "American" or Caucasian. Regardless of his ample qualifications, he receives little to no replies with his Hispanic identity; however his American identity receives multiple offers and opportunities for interviews. This is just one example on how racial profiling and privilege affect people today.

This can also be related to sexuality / gender cases in which people may apply for jobs and, during an interview, maybe decline the job because the employer may be homophobic or disapproving of that lifestyle. North Carolina recently had a law passed stating that transgender people may not use the bathroom appropriate to the gender of which they identify (read more from an Odyssey writer at Lynchburg College). Amazing that there is a privilege of using the appropriate bathroom. The only way I see justification in this law is that there could possibly be, for example, a man who dresses as a woman to go into the women's restroom to take advantage of those inside. However, that would take some serious determination to wear heels and makeup just to get some.

Still don't quite understand what it's like to be in such a position? This video depicts what it is like for people who are judged by predetermined factors regarding race:


Weird isn't it, to see it from that perspective? One may think, not all white people are like that, though! So why is Zack just assuming that people will judge him from this one criminal who also happens to be white?

That is how people of color feel because of the multiple, negative stereotypes circulating society today.

Our country was conceived on the concept of equality for all, so why should we allow hypocrisy to justify that critical building block?

Read more on my personal blog, Converse With Coffee.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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