What is privilege?

What is Privilege?

“The more privilege you have, the more opportunity you have. The more opportunity you have, the more responsibility you have.”

Noam Chomsky

Privilege refers to unearned advantages, benefits, or access to opportunities that individuals or groups have by virtue of their social identity, such as their race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, nationality, or other characteristics. These advantages are often invisible to those who possess them, and they can significantly impact a person's life experiences, opportunities, and outcomes.

Think about what privileges you might have. It’s important to see examples of how some of our identities may give us advantages, while others may give us disadvantages.Remember this is an exploration. It’s not meant to give you an assessment of how much privilege you have— or to be used as a way of comparing your privilege with others.

A few words and phrases are associated with privilege:

• Intersectionality

• Invisible/Unearned

• Systemic/Structural

• Impact on Life Outcomes

• Social Indentity

• Responsibility

There are many examples of privilege: White privilge Heterosexual privilege Male privilege Cisgender privilege Economic privilege Able bodied privilege

• Thinking about your own privilege can make you more aware of where others are not privileged. Think about whether the following statements apply to you over the next three pages.

• I’ve rarely been disrespected or denied an opportunity because of my skin colour
• I’m usually not the only person of my race in a room
• I can expect there will be a public bathroom available that aligns with my gender
• I can assume that people won’t think I’m incompetent or helpless because of the way that I look

• I see my experience reflected in movies and television shows
• I’m not used to regularly being followed or questioned in a shop
• I don’t fear for my safety when interacting with the police
• I’m not usually mocked for my accent
• I have never been asked, ”Where are you really from?”
• I’m not asked to explain or define my sexual orientation or gender
• People refer to me by the right pronoun
• I don’t regularly avoid certain places because I’m worried about my safety or about being sexually harassed

• I expect chairs or public seating to be comfortable for my body
• I don’t feel pressured to spend significant time or money on my appearance
• I don’t think twice about mentioning the gender of my partner or spouse regardless of whom I’m talking to
• My religion's holidays are commonly marked on work or school calendars
• I don’t often worry whether a new environment is physically safe or accessible

• I’m not typically disrespected or denied opportunities because of my religion
• My parents helped pay for my education
• I don’t worry about covering a large unexpected expense, like a car repair or credit card bill
• My parents or guardians were homeowners
• When I say I’m unable to do something, people don’t question whether I’m lying or lazy

Why understanding privilege is important

7.4%

gender pay gap in the UK

9.5%

Rate of black unemployment in the UK (4.5% for whites)

61.1%

BOMSS members felt discriminated against in EDI survey

Reflect in the discussion below about areas of privilege you have taken for granted. Remember to respect other's views, thank others for sharing their experiences and be mindful of confidentiality.