Privilege Case Study

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Question 1 Answer: Privilege is a type of right or advantage available to a particular group of people over others. Privilege can be earned and given. For example, white people have the privilege of not having others judge them negatively because of their skin tone. I personally do not believe it is absolutely necessary to have privileged allies standing up for others without privilege. While this may seem good and just for some, others may see this experience as privileged people boasting about their actions by helping inferior races. Consider Kathleen’s actions and ponder about what she did after the video. Do you believe Kathleen thought she did a good job in stepping in for her sister-in-law? Is it not possible Kathleen may have thought …show more content…

I don’t it help anyone if I was to belittle the person who was discriminating towards the other. I would want them both to get into a discussion where they can both speak calmly about their differences. I would want both parties to understand each other and why they choose to do what they did. This method may solve every issue but it will allow both parties to get a better insight into the situation and how to try to change it from happening in the future. Question 2 Answer: It is important to understand how privilege affects others because it allows you to see how other people can be affected in different situations on a daily basis. It allows you to picture yourself in their perspectives and to better understand how a person’s ethnic background, sexual orientation, and social class can mean the difference in how others treat them. Understanding privileges offers better insight as to how a person may have developed through the cycle of socialization. For example, because a person was given privilege through birth, this person may have had a higher chance of growing up into an environment of similarly privileged people. Meaning this person may not have been exposed to outside influences unlike others that have not had the same types of experiences. This information can potentially help influence the person into making a change that counteracts their initial

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    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

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  • Privilege: Character As The Basis Of Privilege, By Tal Fortgang

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    "Why can 't black people just work harder?" Hard work results in success, and black people are in many cases looked at as less successful than white people. Therefore, that means that black people simply work less hard than white people. This is the perspective that many privileged white people may have when discussing the issue of white privilege. They fail to realize that white privilege plays a significant role in what opportunities someone might have. In Princeton University student, Tal Fortgang 's essay, "Checking My Privilege: Character as the Basis of Privilege", he criticizes those who tell him to "Check your privilege". He argues that the phrase discredits his achievements, and that white privilege is not the reason that he became

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  • White Discrimination In Ceremony By Lesli Marmon Silko

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    According to the Oxford Dictionary privilege is a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group (Oxford Dictionary, n.d.). Furthermore if you add white to privilege you get white privilege which highlights the societal privileges granted to those who are white particularly in Western culture. In the novel Ceremony by Lesli Marmon Silko captures white privilege through the highlighted differences between whites and Native Americans. The narrator Tayo is aware of the privileges that whites have in comparison to Native Americans. Tayos awareness of racism is identified by his examination of the U.S. Army uniform, his analysis of Floyd Lee, and his inspection of Leroy 's truck.

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    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

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    Having privileges gives out respect to those who earned it for you, as explained in the article, “Checking My Privileges”, by Tal Fortgang. Privileges are not for people who deserve them but instead it is for people who are lucky enough to have them passed onto them. Tao explains how she was handed her privileges from the hard work of her grandparents and the accomplishments of their struggling journey to give their granddaughter the privileges she has today to be thankful for. Society judges one another based on their sexuality, and color of their skin, you may judge others of the same basis without knowing the story of how they have received their privileges, because by looking at how a person looks will not give you their background story of them or their

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  • The Concept Of White Opportunity In Society, By Richard T. Schaefer

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    Individuals may be gifted with certain privileges because of the position one holds in society. Most importantly, one can obtain certain privileges from being born with them. One might be “born” with certain privileges because of one’s race, ethnicity, religion and or social class. The most significant factor that may influence one’s obtainment of privileges is social class. Although, race also plays a crucial role. The privileges I obtain surface from my position in society. I don’t feel as if I acquire privileges because of my race and ethnicity. I feel as though that the privileges I acquire are earned, not given. My perspective of this arises from the social stratum in my proximity. The concept that hard work will get one to their desired

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    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

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  • What The Matrix Of Privilege And Oppression?

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    The way I have come to understand what the Matrix of Privilege and Oppression means, is that everyone everywhere feels both privilege and oppression at the same time, and how much they feel of it depends on where they are on the scale of oppression and what position in society that they are in. This could mean that a Black man whom is judged by his skin color every day and it heavily oppressed in many ways, ends up getting into a college over a white man because of the school wanting to be a more diverse campus. The white man does not get judged by his skin color on a regular basis, but it did not work out well for him while applying to schools.

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  • Summary Of Roxane Gay's Peculiar Benefits

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    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.

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  • Essay On Privilege In America

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    As a member of the dominant race in America, I know that I possess certain unearned privileges that allow me to be more successful overall. I was raised with the mindset that racism doesn't affect me because I am white. The U.S. education system taught me about my racial and ethnic history, but it is likely that my classmates of different races could not say the same. I learned about racism in school but not to view whites as privileged or degrading towards subordinate groups. My group was never seen at fault for oppression or took any responsibility for it. Myself, nor my peers, were ever seen or viewed as unfairly advantaged or privileged. I grew up under the impression that any person could achieve what they wanted if they simply worked hard

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    Privileges are things that a person receives that gives them an advantage over most people (Merriam-Webster). These are benefits that only certain people receive for being in a certain group or discourse. Peggy McIntosh, director of the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, wrote “White Privilege and Male Privilege” and states “I think whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privileges, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege” (605). She argues that whites and males receive certain privileges, yet they do not even notice them. This shows that different races and women are still put at a disadvantage, but the people who receive the benefits are blind to the problem.

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  • Effects Of Segregation And Social Mobility

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    For example, African-American girls are affected by the lack of power and privilege. It says in the article “Unlocking opportunity”, “Historically, the graduation rates for African-American girls have been lower than the national average.”, and, “Overall, African-American students disproportionately attend high-poverty schools and 39 percent of African Americans under the age of 18 live in poverty.” These statistics show that the lack of privilege of attending well-educated and well-resourced schools affect people that are often not the focal point of educational equity. The lack of knowledge affects how these individuals relate with other individuals that gained a better education than them, and not in a positive way. It also says in the article that, “...African-American girls experience both race and gender discrimination before they even enroll in school, and that persuasive stereotypes affect how some teachers perceive and treat their African-American female students.” Even before their education, these girls experience prejudice and segregation even before going to school! As a result, the stereotypes perceived are that African-Americans have poor educational performance and scores, and are hard to discipline. It says in the article, “Such discrimination and stereotyping often lead to low self-esteem…” Not only does power and privilege affect

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    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

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  • Privilege vs. Underprivileged: Important Things in Life

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    Money can give people a lot opportunities and privilege. Financially privileged people have no trouble getting materialistic things such as big houses, expensive cars, and jewelry. Being privileged can also provide better scholastic education as well as respect. On the other hand, a lack of money, as a person might guess, limits opportunity and lower a person’s status on the privilege pole. In order for an underprivileged person to have all of those things, they have to work hard to get to get the luxuries of nice houses, cars, and jewelry. As far as education goes, the underprivileged might not go to the best schools but they get an education that will prove to be more valuable in life; they learn to earn respect, appreciate what they have and how to survive with just the necessities and what’s really important in life. So when a person looks at each group and tries to decided with one gets the most out of life, they will see that underprivileged individuals get so much more out of life than a person who came up in affluence and privilege.

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