ID: privilege & blindspots
What are my privileges?
To self realize my own privileges was something fairly foreign to me until I took a Woman’s Studies class. She had forced us to think about our own self and identify our privilege especially through conversation with people alike and dislike me. On our last day of class she told us to return for visits to her class so that we can be reminded to keep conscious of our own privilege.
- I am white - I am physically able in that I can access most things around me and I have no visible disability or impairment - I have blonde hair and blue eyes - I am able to wear the clothing I want (whether it be new or not) - I can afford glasses or contact lenses to correct my vision - I own a car - I live in Canada (a first-world country), in the SW of Calgary - I have running water, electricity and heating in my home - I buy fresh fruit and vegetables and eat as healthy as I choose - I go to university, with parents that pay for my tuition - I moved out of my parents’ house when I wanted to - I don’t have to support anyone financially except myself - I am heterosexual - I can visibly display my sexuality in public without judgement - I was raised Christian (even if I no longer practice religion) - I grew up in a family where my parents/parent have always had stable jobs - I speak fluent English - I am well represented in the media (as well as a white woman can be) - I can be confident that I have a fair chance in getting a job position in an industry I choose - I can vacation at least once a year
What are my blindspots?
Some privileges I carry but that seem to go off my radar because of the person I am for one is the fact that I can move out of my parents’ house at the age of 23. I recently watched the series Shameless and it made me realize that I am privileged to not have grown up in a family where I had to work at the age of 12 and give the money I earn to my family to aid in supporting them financially, or that I had to raise my siblings or take care of my parents at a young age. This was hte first time I really realized that it’s a privilege to grow up in a financially secure family, with no family members who have disabilities, to get a job when I wanted to and to move out of my family home when I felt like it without feeling guilty. Another blindspot is I am able to display publically, talk publically about my sexual orientation and not worry about being judged or unaccepted by people around me. In my own family it is the “norm” to be heterosexual and it is encouraged to be attracted toward my own race. I forget that those who go against society’s normative sexual orientation have to deal with it every single day in every situation. I remember when I am around my gay guy friends but it’s very easy for me realize this in my everyday life.
Self-realization and being conscious of my own privileges is something I often times forget until I’m reminded to think about it.