Imagine you are 5 feet tall, living in a world that was built for people who are 10 feet tall. Getting around in this world will present you with several obstacles and inconveniences. Door knobs would be above your head. ATMs would be inaccessible. Enjoying a meal with your friends at a restaurant would be difficult – the chairs are too big, the table is unreachable, and the silverware too large for your hands. You certainly could still be successful in this world, but you will need to do twice the work to see half the results.
There may be more nefarious reasons why you face obstacles in this world. The world you live in may have beliefs that scapegoat you as the reason why 10 ft tall society doesn’t advance. You may face judgement and discrimination. This hatred may be written into laws, policy, and regulations. You may be persecuted, and you may face the criminal justice system more often than others. You may face harsher sentencing laws. Banks may not lend to you as easily and you may be barred from accessing certain neighborhoods and schools. They might make it more difficult for you to vote. You may be forever locked into second class citizenship.
Sure – life isn’t easy for anyone. 10 ft tall people still have to pay bills, and they still have to work for the things that they have. Life is tough for everyone. But 10 ft tall people don’t have to face the daily inconveniences you face at 5 ft tall. They certainly don’t have to face the deeper nefarious obstacles that were placed in your way.
In this world, 10 ft tall people experience privilege. The world they live in was built to benefit them. They didn’t ask to be born that height, nor did they necessarily create the world they live in. They just happened to be born into a world that provides them daily privileges. Most of them don’t even know the inconveniences you face exist – how could they? They live a different life.
Privilege is any unearned, unasked-for, often invisible benefit and advantage enjoyed by members of society with a specific identity, and unavailable to other members without that identity.
Now replace 10 ft tall people with: white, male, Christian, heterosexual, wealthy, cisgender, etc.
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