Monday, November 12, 2012

"Having privilege does not inherently make you a bad person. It's important for us to understand how the system gives certain groups more opportunities and less barriers over others. We ought to be conscious of how our privileges or the lack thereof have affected our lives.

For example, I recognize I have right-handed privilege. We shake with our right hands. School desks are set up for right-handed people. Cars are set up for right-handed people. Notebooks are designed for right-handed people. Guns are designed for right-handers. Appliances open to the right. (Great book: “The Right of Right Hand Privilege” by Jones) I cannot avoid the benefits I receive from the institutionalized system for being a right-handed person. You see, it's obvious that having this privilege does not make me a bad person. When left-handed people express their frustrations about the unfairness of the system, it is appropriate for me to wholeheartedly support left-handed people's effort to gain equality. I would not minimize their feelings, deny my right-handed privileges, get defensive, or accuse left-handed people for attacking me.

This applies to white privilege, male privilege, Christian privilege, heterosexual privilege, and so on.

Just understand how oppression of all sorts are a result of the institutionalized system that gives certain groups more access over others. Don’t take it personally, because it’s the system we’re talking about, not you. Just be aware that we are not equals, and be mindful of how you benefit from your privileges. Not so hard, I think."

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