Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Define privilege sociologically
Racial discrimination in America
Racial inequalities in the US
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Define privilege sociologically
In this day and age there are a plethora of problems in our society. A lot of the problems in America are constantly geared towards race and privilege. Privilege is a specified advantage towards something that is given to certain people or groups. A lot of the hype in today’s society is because of how heaps of people have privilege, more privilege, or lack of privilege over others. This is specifically geared toward Caucasian people and in some cases, people with money. Privilege is all around, but do we really recognize or question our privilege? Before I read this chapter and read the questions given, I would have said that I don’t have privilege. The reason is because I am a woman of color and we are rarely afforded a sought after thing …show more content…
Another example of the little bit of privilege that I have, is religion. I am a Christian and America is a Christian nation. If I were to claim myself as Christian, I would probably be less ridiculed if a Muslim stated his/her religion. Not everyone in America are very welcoming towards other religions because they may or may not be affiliate with something bad. A lot of times, the only reason I have privilege is because of peoples preconceived notions. Someone would more likely give me special treatment because they have this assumption that I am better than the next option. I do have certain privileges, but in my opinion, it’s not enough to matter. The reason for this is mainly because of my race. The only privilege I have is because I am a Christian, or just got lucky and was better off than someone else. Beside race and religion, social class has a lot to do with the certain privileges I have. A key example is where I live. My father lives on a predominantly white side of town, and my mother lives on a predominantly black and Hispanic part of town. If I were to tell someone that I lived with my dad in said neighborhood, then I would most likely be considered better than others of …show more content…
Because of my dark skin, I would be considered less than if I was next to a white person. This is the same for a lot of things, not just race. A lot of people have stereotypes toward older people and disabled people. If I were to see someone older than me, I’d automatically assume they are very incapable, the same with people who have disabilities. I would be completely wrong to assume such things, because these people might be just as, if not more active than me. Someone with a prosthetic leg can be prepping for a marathon and I don’t know that, I just assume that that person can’t even walk. Stereotypes are a strong factor in all things. I have not known one person that has not ever had a stereotype toward another person, myself included. In our society, stereotyping is the norm, we are just starting to recognized how bad it is. It’s hard to not stereotype, because if we meet someone we have to form some kind of opinion. A lot of the opinions we come up with are based off of stereotypes. No matter what, stereotyping is going to happen. We can be completely careful and it would not change a thing. What we can do, is try not to stereotype, or form opinions, too
In conversations many people get defensive when someone says, “You have this because of your privilege” they feel as though that the person they are talking with doesn’t understand that they have worked hard for what they have, however that is not the point that anyone is trying to make. What someone in that position is saying is that although you have worked hard to get where you are your journey have been well furnished with privilege on account of your race. It is said to think about that you got somewhere in life due to the color of your skin, but it is also sadder to think that someone got declined a job, got stereotyped, or got overlooked because of their race or
When I read “Checking My Privilege” written by Tal Fortgang, a freshman at Princeton University, it made me stop and think. What does privilege mean, how should it be used and does it affect me and my life? Fortgang never really states the exact meaning of the word privilege but goes on to complain about the mistreatment of the word and how it is a form of reverse racism; could that be true, I wondered? However, he also claims that privileges do not exist based on race or gender, and that is something I do not agree with. I imagine many people will not agree with his stance on the word privilege or mine, as a matter of fact. Mainly because the word privilege has a different
Privilege is a topic with, any definitions and many angles of interpretation. My definition describes privilege as a step-up or positive opportunity in a specific situation or circumstance that is not available to everyone. These privileges are sometimes earned while others are totally unwarranted by the recipient. An example of what I consider an unwarranted privilege would be a child living in a certain county and being able to attend a highly sought-after school strictly due to the way an area is zoned by the county. The privilege of a military veteran having his tuition paid for by the Government is a earned privilege by my beliefs. Privilege far extends far outside the boundaries of education. You will find privilege in virtually all facets
People are all different, different races, genders, social classes, and sexualities. These natural differences make people feel awkward and no one wants to feel awkward. Difference is “socially” constructed because society creates different gender rules, roles that you should take on, and behaviors depending if you are a man or women. Two types of privilege can be white privilege. White privilege means you get more benefits and have way more benefit of the doubt compared to other races. Heterosexual privilege is where you are more of a “man” than if you would be homosexual. You are both men but being heterosexual you are perceived as more manly. Both of these are unearned privileges, they come with the race and sexuality you are. What is the significance of understand the privilege in relation to solving “the trouble” we
White privilege is a concept that many people are unfamiliar with, but not because they do not benefit from it. In the paper “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Peggy McIntosh argues that white people have an advantage over those of other races, though most are completely unaware of it or simply take it for granted. Her recognition of white privilege came from the concept of male privilege. She says that she looked at that concept and realized there was certainly something similar to it in regards to race (McIntosh, 1988, 11). This paper has great importance to the function of society. Because many white people do not recognize their unfair and disproportionate advantage in society, racial tensions can rise even more because there is a major wall blocking people from fixing the current issues.
In today’s society, when the word “privilege” is associated with someone, it is often seen as something negative and people tend to ignore and turn away from the word in fear of receiving accusations. In Roxane Gay’s “Peculiar Benefits”, an excerpt from her book Bad Feminist, she argues that people should accept and acknowledge the privileges they hold. Gay’s argument is built based on her personal experience, citing cultural critics/other people, and emotionally appealing to her audience.
White privilege has the potential to be referred to as a social privilege, or simply just a human right, if individuals, as well as communities, would educate themselves instead of settling for oblivion. Individuals need to learn how to steer away from ignorance and stereotypes towards races that are not their own, and become familiar with different ethnicities that are also entitled to those privileges. Moreover, a statement that widely affected me while reading this article is how the word ‘privilege’ can be misleading. She described some of the conditions of white privilege as factors that work toward disempowering or overpowering certain groups. “Such privilege simply confers dominance because of one’s race or sex,” (Mcintosh, 38). This statement struck me because it proves that the term “white privilege” is used to make the white race the most dominant in comparison to other races. I find white privilege misleading because we usually think of privilege as a favoured state, but in reality, the term here is used to claim supremacy over all
In today’s society, it is acknowledgeable to assert that the concepts of race and ethnicity have changed enormously across different countries, cultures, eras, and customs. Even more, they have become less connected and tied with ancestral and familial ties but rather more concerned with superficial physical characteristics. Moreover, a great deal can be discussed the relationship between ethnicity and race. Both race and ethnicity are useful and counterproductive in their ways. To begin, the concept of race is, and its ideas are vital to society because it allows those contemporary nationalist movements which include, racist actions; to become more familiar to members of society. Secondly, it has helped to shape and redefine the meaning of
Our daily lives are affected by race whether we are aware of it or not. How we live different aspects of our lives depend on the colour of our skin. From the types of jobs we have, the income we earn, where we live etc. In societies fundamentally structured by race, it is important that we do not abandon the notion of race, but instead pioneer a revolution in the way that races are understood. In this paper, I will examine how the dominant groups in society define race in terms of biology, which leads to the notion of white privilege, which is their advantaged position in society, at the expense of other racial groups.
We receive privilege’s that others do not, because of race, social class, education, and gender, even age and the way we present ourselves. Also as a white, married, middle-class, mother, in my thirties, I get respect from a stranger, whether it be at the store, restaurant, or out at a movie theater. I 'm approachable, or non-threating look. My husband also gets these perks, and even more than me because he is a man. Do I feel this is right, no? In the perfect world we would all be treated the same, but because of social location people will also be treated differently than others. We as a society should look at qualifications instead of gender or color.
White Privilege The belief that white privilege never existed or that it is no longer a problem is skewed by the selective use of facts to support this claim. How do we address this problem? We must define the what is to be privileged, acknowledge the problem and identify a means to fix it. "The idea of privilege- that some people benefit from unearned, and largely unacknowledged, advantages, even when those advantages aren't discriminatory. "
Many of the unearned privileges describe in the article are ones that I meet the criteria for. Since I am a Caucasian male of catholic religion I have been lucky to have not dealt with issues others have dealt with. The acceptance of me and comes as one of the unearned privileges described. It is something that I didn’t earn or ask for and it has made things a little easier for me when it comes to dealing with racist people. Five examples of my unearned privilege I have received are listed below.
When I think of what privilege is, I see it as being individuals who are able to benefit from society without the barriers of race, gender, or sexuality. All of these privileges have different outcomes and some of them can go hand and hand with each other. For example, when I think of privilege people who have a privilege in the workforce, or in society as a whole, I think of a white male in America who is treated better than a female who is a minority. White males are stigmatized as people who are usually hard working and respectful, while a female minority might be seen as lazy and irresponsible. For people who are open with their sexuality most people in this nation see them as an abomination. Being seen as your race, gender or sexuality
Race and ethnicity are two terms that are constantly used in today’s society. Understanding these terms can help people to recognize that color of skin or color of hair does not define a person. These terms connect with history, social interaction, and the overall make up of a person. However America is constantly obsessed with labeling people by the way that they look or the way that they act. America seems to encourage the terms race and ethnicity and continue to divide people into categories. It is interesting to comprehend these terms because they are not going to disappear any time soon. Race and ethnicity are apart of America’s history and will be a part of the future.
Answering the question of whether one is privileged or not is a difficult assessment to make. For instance if “you are white, male, able-bodied, heterosexual, or possess wealth,” determining that power is not as evident as if you were in the opposite end of the spectrum (Merriam & Bierema, 2014, p. 240). The topics of position as well as privilege are often discussed in diversity trainings in the workplace. Having the skills to be able to talk about these issues freely are crucial to educators and adult learners in our society today due to the control of the education system. In both Mexico and the United States, one’s privilege allows them the position in society to address the “issue of educational opportunity” (Keane, 1994). Many times, in these types of societies it has been shown that privilege can overcome certain attributes and skills, such as intellect, to determine position and/or