Acknowledge Your Privilege | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Acknowledge Your Privilege

Raise Up the Oppressed

141
Acknowledge Your Privilege
Ambivalently Yours

In the wake of the tragic deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, there has been an outpouring of discussion about human privilege in the United States. Most conversations have turned into arguments affirming or denying the existence of white privilege. White privilege is a Westernized societal privilege that benefits people who racially identify as white. While is is unfair and unjust for one individual to have privilege over another just because of the way they were born- is an unfair and unjust phenomenon, denying it is far worse. As a white person, I fully acknowledge my privilege. I have never feared I would be victim of violence due to my race. I have never been the only white person in a room. I have never been called a racial slur. This fear and isolation leads to racial oppression. My privilege keeps me from ever experiencing an injustice of this magnitude.

Historically, straight, white, wealthy, anglo-saxon, Protestant men have made up the majority of Congress. They are the political elites running our country. It should be no surprise why society normalizes identities of gender, sexuality, race, religion, economic opportunity, and disabilities to coincide with that of the majority. If you do not fit within what is socially acceptable, you are put at a disadvantage.

Privilege expands beyond race. If you are a man, you experience privilege. Society allows you to take up more space. You are likely to never experience slut shaming, cat calling, or sexual harassment. You are less likely to be victim of revenge pornography, sexual assault, or stalking. If you are raped, if is unlikely that you will experience victim blaming because of what you were wearing. It is unlikely that you will be told you were "asking for it". It is unlikely that you will ever feel unsafe because of your gender. You will never be paid less than your opposite gender counterpart for doing the same job.

If you have never been discriminated against because of your gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, income, or mental or physical disability- you experience great privilege. With privilege comes responsibility. You must not overshadow the voices of marginalized groups. You must acknowledge your opportunities and societal benefits and use them to raise up those who are oppressed.

BuzzFeed recently created a quiz to measure your level of privilege on a scale of 0/100. I encourage you to take the quiz and use your results to determine how you should alter the space you occupy in society to coincide with the privilege you maintain simply by living.

Take the Quiz: https://www.buzzfeed.com/regajha/how-privileged-ar...



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

The Perks of Being a Girl

“I just want you to know that you’re very special… and the only reason I’m telling you is that I don’t know if anyone else ever has.”

85
girl

As frustrating and annoying as it can be, being a girl is really awesome. We are beautiful inside and out. Not a lot of people may see that, but girls have a ton of amazing qualities.

We have unique flirting skills.

Us girls have a significant way to flirt with other people. Even when we say the most random or awkward things, we have a way of making everything sound cute and planned. It’s just a gift; we’re good like that.

Keep Reading...Show less
gossip girl

Us college students know all about the struggle of spending the day in the library. Whether you are writing a ten-page paper, studying for a biology exam, or struggling through math homework, you somehow find the strength to get to the library to get it all done. Let's just say you have a lot of different thoughts that run through your head during the many hours you spend in the lovely library.

Keep Reading...Show less
female tv characters
We Heart It

Over the past decade, television has undergone a very crucial transition: the incorporation of female lead characters. Since it's a known fact that girls actually do run the world (Beyonce said so herself), it's time for the leading ladies of the small screen to get some credit. Without these characters, women would still be sitting in the background of our favorite shows. These women are not only trailblazers for female empowerment, but role models for women worldwide. With that, here are 15 of the smartest, sassiest ladies gracing our screens that remind us that women do, indeed, rule:

Keep Reading...Show less
New Now Next
New Now Next

If you are like me, you have an interesting personality. Basically, you love to be sassy and snarky, gossip, and act like a total bitch (not really), but deep down, you are actually a very genuinely nice person. The idea of actually hurting someone truly makes you feel bad, and you probably have never actually hurt someone’s feelings because your kindness always shines through, even if you do not want it to. Not sure exactly what I would call this type of personality, but if you identify with it, here are some feelings you can undoubtedly relate to.

Keep Reading...Show less
Blair Waldorf
Cub Magazine

We all have a little bit of Blair Waldorf inside of us. You may not realize it, but you're probably guilty of at least nine out of ten of these listed points. So why don't we reminisce on the famous Blair Waldorf moments where we realized we were actually her at certain times through the series?

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments