#unchecked privilege

[lumi1055]

[sultanaritu760]

Chaos, Complaints, and Consequences: When Karens Meet the Law!

In the age of viral videos and viral outrage, few things are as simultaneously satisfying and cringe-inducing as witnessing someone’s entitled meltdown meet its match. Enter the ultimate reality check: law enforcement.

From grocery aisles to public sidewalks, the infamous “Karen” has become a symbol of unchecked privilege and over-the-top confrontation. But when police intervene, the theatrics often collide with consequences in real time—turning a tantrum into a teachable moment, whether she likes it or not.

These encounters are more than just viral fodder; they’re a cultural mirror reflecting the tension between entitlement and accountability. Whether it’s the loud complaints, dramatic threats, or the social media footage immortalizing the chaos, one thing is clear: when the badge shows up, reality checks aren’t optional—they’re inevitable.

So next time a Karen decides the world owes her obedience, remember this: authority has a way of cutting through the noise—and sometimes, it’s poetic justice caught on camera. Read More...

[a-little-drop-of-rain]

The Joke That Is "Minority for a Day"

I am so tired of these "minority for a day" exercises we're put thru in college anyone else know what I'm talking about? they're the ones where professors force people who belong to the majority in society (white, straight, cis, able-bodied, etc.) to "walk a mile in their (a person belonging to a minority) shoes" some of the bullshit I've been subjected to includes "going some place where you're the minority" first of all, fuck you professors for even suggesting for people of the majority to purposefully infiltrate (read: invade) safe spaces for minorities I remember one white girl in this class recounting her tale of how she braved a Hispanic part of LA where "there wasn't a single white person in sight" (besides the friend she had gone with of course) and "no one spoke English" really? no one was speaking English in a Hispanic setting? no shit! must've been terrifying for you, though probably not nearly as terrifying for the Hispanics around you (what the hell do you think would've happened if you'd been hurt there? I'll give you a hint, the phrase you're looking for is "witch hunt") that's just one of the jewels I've encountered since entering college today I unhappily received another this afternoon in intro to American politics taught by (who else?) a wealthy white female professor in an upper-middle class college setting decided that we would best understand the inequalities of the American economic/political system if we participated in it I won't go into too many details but suffice to say we were sorted into upper, middle, and lower classes respectively based on our simulated income those in the upper class, representing the one percent, were given the power to create the rules that governed the rest of the lower classes and they purposefully and maliciously recreated the hierarchy faced in our society and as a member of the lowest class I had to beg for scraps and mercy (it was a very familiar feeling for me but I'll get to that in a moment) throughout the whole simulation I was horribly uncomfortable, but it seemed to affect only me the entire class was laughing and joking, people were being "sacrificed" or "killed off" (actual words and comparisons) according to the rules set forth by the one percent by the end of the class period it was almost a perfect replica of our system of oppression, of how little it values the lower class, how it works specifically against minorities to INCREASE the gap between the wealthy and the poor, how things like welfare are written off but the one percent are sure to extend help to a select few--effectively turning the lower and middle classes against each other so they could "earn" their way into the one percent what really made this so convincing though is that 95% of our class is white and, as luck of the draw would have it, rich white students completely made up the one percent let me reiterate, even in a simulation rich white students refused to even try to help out those in the lower classes, they didn't attempt to find a solution to the inequality, in fact--as I said--they purposefully perpetuated it (and not to make a point either) there was mocking, there was ridicule of the lower class, it was like everyone conveniently forgot the point of the exercise is the reality if this very situation at the end of the exercise I commented how uneasy it made me that so many (white wealthy students) were so ready to condemn the lower class, that given the power they chose to exploit and oppress instead of working to change the system the ready abuse of power honestly reminded me of the Stanford prison experiment they denied this of course, said I was overreacting, "it was just a game, if this was real life and real money I would've acted differently" uh-huh if your first impulse is to act like the society you've been raised in, to trivialize the struggle of those beneath the poverty line, I have a hard time believing that (a HUGE part of classism is rich people denying playing a part in the socially constructed hierarchy, something no one admitted to during the whole class period) "anyone would've done it under the circumstances" they claimed but here's the thing, I wouldn't have it never even crossed my mind not to find a solution because later that day I had to make a call to social security to beg for relief of a debt I incurred from the government WHILE on SSI (social security income) in the same way that I had to beg those students representing the one percent hours earlier you see, that's the thing about these so called "minority for a day" simulations, they get to put back on the Rose-Colored glasses, they get to shed the minority cloak, they get their privilege back (they never, for a single second, lost it) knowing in the back of their mind they still had the real life resources, with that constant assurance, how could they possibly even for a moment understand the experience of not having enough? of trying to live on a wage that doesn't cover rent, much less food or health care or gas or other essentials did they take away a damn thing from this? maybe. will they think about it again without being prompted? not fucking likely and it's because they are not confronted daily with the FACT that our system IS based on keeping the poor, poor I am forbidden from having over a certain amount in my bank account every month lest I lose my SSI check, and once it's gone there is little to no chance of getting it back you know how I got to be in the same college as they are? sheer dumb luck the ONLY reason I am in college is because I got better physically, before I was completely disabled and couldn't hold down a job but by divine grace I recovered enough to earn minimum wage (still not enough to live on but with SSI--which I won't have for much longer--I manage) this small amount allowed for me to qualify for a college loan, albeit at over 11% interest rate (compared to the 2-4% my friends who have a larger income and/or have parents who have an income and are willing to pay) but life could've gone the other way and I could've been made to survive--as I had for many years--on the $600 kindly allotted to me by the state of California you can't rent a room with that much, much less pay for car insurance or health insurance (my dad pays for those things, without him doing that I wouldn't have a car or any way to get to my job--and you know how many people are lucky enough to have that extra financial support while on SSI? not fucking many) (and don't tell the government he helps, they WOULD revoke what I get if they knew) so point is I came back to my room tonight thinking about how my life would've gone if I hadn't regained my health, if I had remained dependent on the "charity" of others--rich white people can you imagine? I could've had to rely on those upper-middle class white students in that classroom, the same ones who were so willing to treat the lower class like shit in a simulation, I would have to trust they hold true to their "promise" they don't behave like that in real life and others still will, I climbed out of the vacuum but how many others out there will never have the chance (nearly all) so in the end for them it was just an assignment, a game that's all over, they can move on with their lives they don't have to worry about things like the consequences of poverty or having a dark skin tone or being disabled and dependent or trying to navigate as a queer person lucky bastards (luck's got nothing to do with it) it's 1:43am and I'm losing sleep over this I wonder if I'm the only one...

[kurtsyburtsylynn]

Popped Bubbles

I think it's crazy, sometimes, when people say that people who go to more conservative Christian colleges with rules out the wahzoo won't have a hard time adjusting to life outside of that bubble, because I know I have my moments where even the "Christian Bubble" of Eastern is popped (not that this is really all that shocking of an experience--Eastern has a lot of shit that's pop-able after going there for four years, trust me). It's always a bit alarming, but also relieving because at least I feel better able to cope with it than if I had gone to a different kind of Christian school.

But, yeah. I'm really used to people being super-aware of things like privilege and racism, even if they're not the best at acting against it or combatting it--at least most of the people are open to being called on it. Not so true when I come home and have to interact with people at my job at the pool. Seriously, people at home can be so blatantly passive-racist, it's ridiculous. And they can't even see it when I start trying to call them on it (though, my attempts can be a bit weak, admittedly, and often come after a moment of shock and discomfort, because...for real?)

Like this lady. She goes to leave, and stops to sign the guestbook because she forgot to on the way in, right? And she notices that there are two people from Austin, TX, or somewhere else far away, signed in earlier today. Immediately, she figures it's some kids from my town, trying to get away with not paying for a membership (you hafta be a member, if you live in my town). And THEN, she makes a terrible leap, right, and says, "I saw some colored kids were here earlier, I bet it was probably them."

WOAH. HOLD THE FUCK UP, LADY. CALM YOUR SHIT.

My heart started pounding, shocked that someone could say something so blatantly racist, in front of their fucking seven-year-old kid, no less! And, like, she didn't see a problem with it! Not one bit! For a while, I'm just trying to get her to shut up, because she's going on about how the one kid was "hard on the diving board" and "jumping on it real tough" and other shit, and how we shouldn't let him back in unless we talked to him or something. But I can hardly speak because I'm just shocked by her, and I also know that she's wrong. I remembered having a conversation with the people from Austin--they were visiting family for the week, and came to the pool.

Once I got a hold of myself and after about the third time she asked me if the "colored kids" were members, I finally stopped saying "I don't know," because my head was on straight enough to remember handing back three member cards to a family of African American. So I told her, "Actually, they were members, ma'am. I gave them their cards, I remember now."

"Oh," she replied, "Well, then someone has to talk to that oldest one--he was really hard on that diving board. He's gonna snap it, and ruin it for the rest of us!"

I just said, "Yeah, whatever," and shoved her change at her. I might've rolled my eyes. So, she finally left. And, you know, it probably wasn't the best way to handle it. Like, I wish I had been able to call her out a bit more directly than just insisting that they were members, because she was saying completely unacceptable things. In front of her daughter, no less! If anyone is wondering how kids learn things like racism, there's a perfect example--assuming the "colored kids" at the pool were the ones trying to pull one over on us taught her daughter right there that the assumption that POC are always "up to something" and suspicious is an okay assumption to make. But it's not.

I don't know. I just spent a lot of time feeling uncomfortable and not saying anything, even though I kept rehearsing in my head things I could do to address this more directly. "Ma'am, do you understand how racist it is to assume that the "colored kids" you saw were the ones trying to get around paying for a membership?" or "Ma'am, do you understand that that assumption you just made is racist?" or a million other versions of it. But I couldn't make myself say it, because I was scared of getting into a fight with her, losing my job, having word of it get back to my parents...

But what kind of excuse is that, really? A shitty one. It's just a summer job, one that I care absolutely nothing for, and, honestly if I lost it, I wouldn't be that upset. It'd certainly give me a lot more free time. And so what if I got into a fight for it--the woman needs to open her eyes a bit if she's comfortable making that assumption, and someone needs to send some opposing messages to her child. I can excuse getting flustered at first, because I'm not good at confrontation and I'm not used to such blatant racism occurring in my every day life, but I can't excuse letting it slide like that. If my job were more serious or more necessary for my own well-being and survival, maybe even then I could excuse not addressing it directly, but it's not. I will NOT be secretary-ing for a pool for the rest of my life, and certainly not one in my hometown. Job security is not a huge factor for me allowing such thought processes to continue.

It was a huge bubble popped for me, that day. One I wasn't expecting to be popped this summer, really, because I'm just temporarily relocating to my Home Bubble from my Eastern Bubble. But even here, if not especially here, that bubble can be popped.

I just hope that next time I'll be able to challenge the person a little more directly and help someone else start examining their privilege. Because what good is the examination and awareness of my own privilege if I don't let it affect the way I live and change the way I handle certain situations?

[honeyglo-champagnetoast]

Tumblr is all about how perfect the weather is going to be tomorrow.

NOT EVERY ONE LIVES IN NICE PLACES, TUMBLR!!!!

SOME PEOPLE ARE DOOMED TO SHITTY WEATHER AND THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT! IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP PEOPLE!

CHECK YOUR CISWEATHER PRIVILEGE, TUMBLR!

[ponyvsthebottle]

So, part of being an adult means you're meant to care about shoes, which is stupid and I hate it. A shoe covers exactly 1% of your body, and the function of it is to be in poop or nails so you don't have to be, while supporting the bones enough that it's not uncomfortable to have to stand, or walk, which is the sort of thing that we do a lot, being humans.

But fashion shoes are designed to look a certain way at the expense of these rather more important functions, command a higher price, and they take up like a million gallons of space when you have to pack them and man I am just a kid who has no time for that.

[cisprivilegealert-blog]

Not even once

2013

enjoying the lengthy summer provided by President Obama's Funky Fresh Commission on Anthropogenic Climate Adjustment for the Betterment of American Society

thinking about planting some seeds

go to the garden supply section of my local corner store (because we must always buy local)

pick up a packet of seeds for all colors of the visible spectrum, and a couple of the infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths, just to be safe

get on my fixed gear bike and start pedalling home, flagellating the entire way as penance for anyone who is differently-abled or tetrapodal-phobic

get home, head to my backyard

tie a bandana around my head, have my spade and watering can with me

plunge my shovel into the peaty earth

hear a shudder and groan as spirits rise from the crack in the earth I have created

'FOOLISH MAN,' booms a voice that seems to come at me from all sides,' DO YOU NOT REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE RAPED ME, MOTHER EARTH?'

I look at my rake

it's covered with blood, my semen, and small planetoid fetuses

I gnash my teeth and tear out my hair, weeping at my foolish, Patriarchy-engendered foolishness

as the CIS Police comes to take me away, an officer, looks at me and spits

Ze takes off my bandana and looks at me with utter disgust

'So... little whiteboy thought it'd be fun to play Jamestown huh?'

Zir CIS police partner looks from zis wheelchair and laughs

'That's a charge of cultural appropriation on top of a Class 3 Rape of Mother Gaea'

Ze grabs my dick, still covered with dirt and little bits of planet

'Where you're going... we're gonna fill you up with all the culture you need...'

UNCHECKED PRIVILEGE: NOT EVEN ONCE

[socialjusticechampion]

had to brush a few privilege crumbs off my friend the people i have to live with fml