Educating Myself: Some Thoughts on "Privilege"
In light of what I've been reading recently and considering within my own life, I think it's ironic that so much of what came before now on this blog reeks of privilege, or "privilege." Specifically, my (previously) unidentified white female privilege. In my own defense, and many might argue I shouldn't be able to defend myself, 2011 and 2012 were not exactly times of massive introspection for anyone in terms of privilege outside of some academic circles. And even now, when privilege and those who have it have become the center of attention in the fight to equalize the playing field for those who do not, the question of whether or not one must apologize or feel guilt for being privileged in ways that one did not ask for, are cause for further discussion and in some cases, arguments.
Given all that's happening currently within the world, and more closely here in our own country, the issue of privilege and the privilege framework has begun to receive attention once again. In the interest of being able to consider my own privilege, as well as how to grapple with the discussions recently introduced with the resurgence of BLM, I decided to educate myself by taking a virtual trip to the library.
The first text I encountered was The Perils of "Privilege," by Phoebe Maltz Bovy which was published in 2017. Although not that long ago, given the current political and social climate, 2017 might as well have been a decade ago in terms of all that's occurred since which could further the discussion of the book. Initially, the title was misleading. It includes the ironic air quotes around "privilege" and suggests that really the book has nothing to do with privilege in the traditional sense one might imagine, or in the sense that I was hoping to further educate myself in.
The true "meat" of the argument here is presented in the subtitle: Why Injustice Can't Be Solved By Accusing Others of Advantage. While Bovy does an exceptional job of examining examples both from the right and left, overall it's clear her own political leanings are more those of the centrist left; she does offer a comprehensive view and consider counterarguments to the many phenomenons surrounding privilege and privilege checking in the digital age. I can only imagine what her thoughts are now, given the time during which she was editing and revising her work predated the actual election of Trump, but was right around the time he announced his candidacy with the Republican party. She could probably write a follow up on just the privilege framework and how that relates to Trump's election.
What I found most surprising though, in her discussion of Trump and Clinton, is that it didn't follow along the lines I expected it to. She doesn't immediately state that Trump is a moron and Clinton would have saved the world if elected. She devotes space within the text to considering how privilege and the issue of privilege amongst voters could lead voters to choose Trump over other candidates; that because everyone has become so hyperaware of the issue of privilege and intent upon checking microaggressions, we've created a world that is so PC that both right and left are becoming sick of it. Because people are so over being PC, Trump marketed himself as a candidate who wasn't PC and who was willing to do and say whatever needed to be said, even if (as we've now seen), most of the time what he and his followers feels needs to be said is not only incorrect, but inspires a lot of negative fall out and creates further division.
Ultimately she concludes that while yes, awareness of one's privilege is key, checking people constantly on their "privilege" or YPIS (Your Privilege Is Showing) rhetoric doesn't really offer much in terms of actually moving beyond just checking it. Okay, great, I'm aware I'm privileged, but what do I do now with that knowledge? It's not like I can just stop being white (she does cited Rachel Dozel as being an entire category unto herself) or all of a sudden understand a perspective that is not my own and the struggles others have experienced that I have not.
I think reading about privilege and YPIS actually has made me question more than it's helped me to find answers. I'm not trying for self pity here. I acknowledge that being white means I've never had to be afraid for my life when I'm pulled over and that numerous other challenges I might have faced were I any other marginalized race are not part of my reality because I am white. I also don't think, erroneously that somehow any disadvantages I've faced (specifically in the workplace) as a result of being female is even enough for me to understand the experience of someone who is black and female. There is no comparison. And I won't fall into the trap of playing the "who's had it worse game," which seems (as Bovy also notes) to be one of the results of trying to have a conversation with someone about their privilege.
I've noticed this most clearly in my discussions with family members. The majority of my family who hold political opinions are very much to the right-leaning, conservative side of the spectrum. Which is absolutely great for them. We frequently agree to disagree, and the invitation is always there to have a respectful discussion about our thoughts and why we agree to disagree at points. Nowhere has this been more true than in the conversations I've had recently with my mother. And no, this isn't a bash my mother for her clearly privileged view of the way the world works and the role she plays in it kind of post. I think that Boomers (and I'm not using this in the ironic sense) most often get labeled with being out of touch given what's happening in the world right now. They are the ones who are most quickly cut down with a YPIS when they comment or offer their perspective. Don't get me wrong, as a Millenial, I've also frequently felt I'm pre-judged or placed in a stereotypical category because of what the articles and books say about Millenials and our own "Millenial privilege," as I do believe such privilege exists. But generally any hits I take based on my Millenial status result in me throwing just as many punches, whereas Boomers genuinely seem to be out of their league in a world that has changed so much from what they grew up with they don't know which way to look when the argument starts. And no, I'm not saying pity the poor Boomers for being out of their league or not wanting to do the research. I'm just stating the fact that it's much easier, especially in an online environment to discount a Boomer's opinions or lack of knowledge by quickly slapping them with a YPIS response because that most often seems to end the argument.
One of the most important points here is that privilege has evolved to meaning something entirely different than it used to. As Bovy points out, privilege in its earliest form is now synonymous with what we label "elitist" or "rich." But that isn't the way that recently we've used privilege and I don't think enough people realize that we're using it differently now. We use privilege as a way to exclude individuals from expressing their opinions on different subjects, because clearly if one is privileged one is not allowed to have an opinion on certain issues. But should that be true? Just because my parents, for instance, were raised in a different time and place with a whole different slew of obstacles than what we face right now, is it right to exclude them from the conversation because of their white privilege? Does saying one is guilty of white privilege imply that that individual should feel immense guilt? Should, as I've seen in the news, white people express their guilt by prostrating themselves in front of black people at protests to "apologize" for the sins of their ancestors? I would argue a resounding no here. I don't think anyone (outside of maybe extreme leftists) would expect a white person to apologize for the actions of our ancestors and for the privilege that we have experienced as a result. I do think, given the recent events, that once aware of privilege, one should do everything to use one's privilege to avoid reenacting the past and causing further inequalities.
Before someone (you know who you are) drops the "S" word here, I'm not positing a socialist agenda. Also, why has "socialism" almost become a bad word in our society? Although, I don't know. If believing everyone should have equal rights and that race or class shouldn't factor into who is privileged and who isn't is now deemed socialist...maybe I am? I mean, it was pretty clear that one of the biggest factors working against Bernie Sanders was the "Socialist" part of "Democratic Socialist," as opposed to the Democratic part. I see Socialism constantly being listed alongside Marxism and *gasp* Communism far too often for comfort. They're not synonymous with one another, and although we clearly have examples that many of these schools of thought on paper seem okay (and at some point in school I'm pretty sure we all learned the textbook definitions), we see proof daily that they don't work as seamlessly IRL.
I knew even before I started to do the research that the reason I'm met with such rancor from my family when I acknowledge white privilege is because they don't define white privilege in the same way I do. To them, privilege means that they've been handed everything and that they've never had to work a day in their lives for what they have. This could not be further from the truth in many cases and specifically in relation to my own parents. Yes, they're white, and yes, they haven't dealt with the same level of discrimination in their own lives because they are white, but they most certainly haven't been handed anything. They've earned what they have now and their ability to enjoy what they have now from the many years of not having and having to work towards being "haves." And even in the traditional sense of what it means to be a "have," they are not truly "haves," but really just people who have built a life for themselves from many years of hard work. This hard work is the reason my sister and I are able to acknowledge our own privilege in the way that we do. We are both willing to acknowledge that we are white privileged and that we are also privileged in other senses because of all that we've been afforded as a result of my parents' hard work and struggles.
I didn't actually realize until I went to college how privileged I was, which is ironic, because looking back over previous blog posts wouldn't offer any inkling that college taught me anything about actual suffering or obstacles. But that's kind of the point in terms of my own grappling with privilege. Because my parents worked the way they did and built the life for my sister and I that we had, I was sheltered in a way that I couldn't recognize until I wasn't at home anymore. I'm certain that I also am guilty of submitting a college admissions essay that tried to find a way to frame my experience as one of great struggle and overcoming obstacles, because as The Perils of "Privilege" notes, that is what college admissions essays generally devolve into: a student who probably hasn't struggled very much looking for ways to make the struggle seem real.
As someone who benefits from white privilege, consciously or unconsciously, I'd be remiss in understating how important I think it is to do the research and have the introspective moments where I consider what privilege has afforded me. Especially given BLM and some of the recent news stories and the back and forth struggle between "All Lives Matter" versus "Black Lives Matter," I struggle to find my place in these conversations, because I think (like many white people), I'm not sure if it's better to be quiet or if it's better to speak up. I have had the experience of speaking up and being told that I couldn't possibly understand or of seeing friends post on social media with the disclaimer along the lines of "and if you're one of my white friends, don't try to say you get it. You don't." So given that, how am I supposed to take part in the discussion?
It isn't enough to just be aware that privilege plays a role in my life. What is the next step? How do we move beyond just making people check themselves and their privilege and actually translate that into creating a world where all things are equal? Because one thing I've never questioned is that clearly things aren't equal for everyone. We now live in a world where all too much doesn't make any sense at all. How can someone who's arrested for dealing weed earn a longer prison sentence than someone who shot and killed an unarmed teenager? Why is it okay to ignore the fact that statistically speaking, more black people are given longer sentences for the same crimes committed by white people? And why does saying "Black Lives Matter" lead to the immediate response of "All Lives Matter?" I cringe to admit it, but probably around the same time I was in college, I would also have been someone who would have erroneously responded with "All Lives Matter" because that would have been my knee jerk response. But let's be real. Is saying "Black Lives Matter" really meant to imply that anyone else's life matters less? No. No one is arguing that anyone's life matters less. No one is trying to say that because you're white or asian or purple or polka dotted that anyone thinks you deserve to be shot. And the knee jerk response of "All Lives Matter" is part of what continues to divide us, as it prevents us from having an actual conversation about what's happening in America today. With the recent rise in posts of "Blue Lives Matter" on social media, we have yet another facet of the argument to further divide us. Through saying "Black Lives Matter" are we suggesting all cops are bad and that every inequality faced by marginalized people are the result of bad cops who misuse their authority? No. There are just as many good cops who take their authority seriously as there are bad cops, but unfortunately for those who take "to serve and protect" seriously, there are too many who do not.
There's a lot of truth to be found in the memes floating around social media. For instance, there are memes appearing everywhere that suggest that violence against black people by police isn't a new thing, it's just now more of it is being recorded on camera. It's not that terrible things haven't been happening to black people and other marginalized groups as a result of inequality since the founding of our country, it's just now the irrefutable proof is in our faces and flashing across our screens daily.
As I continue to read and determine how to best use my own privilege to navigate the world we are living in, I look to what I've read so far to guide me. Would I consider myself an "ally" in this cause? Not especially. Being an ally by definition would mean that I'm contributing my life and my work to the cause of abolishing inequality, and I don't think I'm there yet. Not by a long shot. Reading and trying to re-educate myself on some of the issues so that I can be a more knowledgeable voice in this discussion still doesn't give me the right to say that I understand how to abolish this inequality that has pervaded our society since the founding of our country. But I can dare to hope that by doing the research and being vocal about my own struggle with educating myself that I can continue to learn and grow and hopefully use my privilege effectively to benefit others who are lacking.
Sources:
Bovy, Phoebe Maltz. The Perils of "Privilege": Why Injustice Can't Be Solved in Accusing Others of
Advantage. St. Martin's Press, 2017.
Given all that's happening currently within the world, and more closely here in our own country, the issue of privilege and the privilege framework has begun to receive attention once again. In the interest of being able to consider my own privilege, as well as how to grapple with the discussions recently introduced with the resurgence of BLM, I decided to educate myself by taking a virtual trip to the library.
The first text I encountered was The Perils of "Privilege," by Phoebe Maltz Bovy which was published in 2017. Although not that long ago, given the current political and social climate, 2017 might as well have been a decade ago in terms of all that's occurred since which could further the discussion of the book. Initially, the title was misleading. It includes the ironic air quotes around "privilege" and suggests that really the book has nothing to do with privilege in the traditional sense one might imagine, or in the sense that I was hoping to further educate myself in.
The true "meat" of the argument here is presented in the subtitle: Why Injustice Can't Be Solved By Accusing Others of Advantage. While Bovy does an exceptional job of examining examples both from the right and left, overall it's clear her own political leanings are more those of the centrist left; she does offer a comprehensive view and consider counterarguments to the many phenomenons surrounding privilege and privilege checking in the digital age. I can only imagine what her thoughts are now, given the time during which she was editing and revising her work predated the actual election of Trump, but was right around the time he announced his candidacy with the Republican party. She could probably write a follow up on just the privilege framework and how that relates to Trump's election.
What I found most surprising though, in her discussion of Trump and Clinton, is that it didn't follow along the lines I expected it to. She doesn't immediately state that Trump is a moron and Clinton would have saved the world if elected. She devotes space within the text to considering how privilege and the issue of privilege amongst voters could lead voters to choose Trump over other candidates; that because everyone has become so hyperaware of the issue of privilege and intent upon checking microaggressions, we've created a world that is so PC that both right and left are becoming sick of it. Because people are so over being PC, Trump marketed himself as a candidate who wasn't PC and who was willing to do and say whatever needed to be said, even if (as we've now seen), most of the time what he and his followers feels needs to be said is not only incorrect, but inspires a lot of negative fall out and creates further division.
Ultimately she concludes that while yes, awareness of one's privilege is key, checking people constantly on their "privilege" or YPIS (Your Privilege Is Showing) rhetoric doesn't really offer much in terms of actually moving beyond just checking it. Okay, great, I'm aware I'm privileged, but what do I do now with that knowledge? It's not like I can just stop being white (she does cited Rachel Dozel as being an entire category unto herself) or all of a sudden understand a perspective that is not my own and the struggles others have experienced that I have not.
I think reading about privilege and YPIS actually has made me question more than it's helped me to find answers. I'm not trying for self pity here. I acknowledge that being white means I've never had to be afraid for my life when I'm pulled over and that numerous other challenges I might have faced were I any other marginalized race are not part of my reality because I am white. I also don't think, erroneously that somehow any disadvantages I've faced (specifically in the workplace) as a result of being female is even enough for me to understand the experience of someone who is black and female. There is no comparison. And I won't fall into the trap of playing the "who's had it worse game," which seems (as Bovy also notes) to be one of the results of trying to have a conversation with someone about their privilege.
I've noticed this most clearly in my discussions with family members. The majority of my family who hold political opinions are very much to the right-leaning, conservative side of the spectrum. Which is absolutely great for them. We frequently agree to disagree, and the invitation is always there to have a respectful discussion about our thoughts and why we agree to disagree at points. Nowhere has this been more true than in the conversations I've had recently with my mother. And no, this isn't a bash my mother for her clearly privileged view of the way the world works and the role she plays in it kind of post. I think that Boomers (and I'm not using this in the ironic sense) most often get labeled with being out of touch given what's happening in the world right now. They are the ones who are most quickly cut down with a YPIS when they comment or offer their perspective. Don't get me wrong, as a Millenial, I've also frequently felt I'm pre-judged or placed in a stereotypical category because of what the articles and books say about Millenials and our own "Millenial privilege," as I do believe such privilege exists. But generally any hits I take based on my Millenial status result in me throwing just as many punches, whereas Boomers genuinely seem to be out of their league in a world that has changed so much from what they grew up with they don't know which way to look when the argument starts. And no, I'm not saying pity the poor Boomers for being out of their league or not wanting to do the research. I'm just stating the fact that it's much easier, especially in an online environment to discount a Boomer's opinions or lack of knowledge by quickly slapping them with a YPIS response because that most often seems to end the argument.
One of the most important points here is that privilege has evolved to meaning something entirely different than it used to. As Bovy points out, privilege in its earliest form is now synonymous with what we label "elitist" or "rich." But that isn't the way that recently we've used privilege and I don't think enough people realize that we're using it differently now. We use privilege as a way to exclude individuals from expressing their opinions on different subjects, because clearly if one is privileged one is not allowed to have an opinion on certain issues. But should that be true? Just because my parents, for instance, were raised in a different time and place with a whole different slew of obstacles than what we face right now, is it right to exclude them from the conversation because of their white privilege? Does saying one is guilty of white privilege imply that that individual should feel immense guilt? Should, as I've seen in the news, white people express their guilt by prostrating themselves in front of black people at protests to "apologize" for the sins of their ancestors? I would argue a resounding no here. I don't think anyone (outside of maybe extreme leftists) would expect a white person to apologize for the actions of our ancestors and for the privilege that we have experienced as a result. I do think, given the recent events, that once aware of privilege, one should do everything to use one's privilege to avoid reenacting the past and causing further inequalities.
Before someone (you know who you are) drops the "S" word here, I'm not positing a socialist agenda. Also, why has "socialism" almost become a bad word in our society? Although, I don't know. If believing everyone should have equal rights and that race or class shouldn't factor into who is privileged and who isn't is now deemed socialist...maybe I am? I mean, it was pretty clear that one of the biggest factors working against Bernie Sanders was the "Socialist" part of "Democratic Socialist," as opposed to the Democratic part. I see Socialism constantly being listed alongside Marxism and *gasp* Communism far too often for comfort. They're not synonymous with one another, and although we clearly have examples that many of these schools of thought on paper seem okay (and at some point in school I'm pretty sure we all learned the textbook definitions), we see proof daily that they don't work as seamlessly IRL.
I knew even before I started to do the research that the reason I'm met with such rancor from my family when I acknowledge white privilege is because they don't define white privilege in the same way I do. To them, privilege means that they've been handed everything and that they've never had to work a day in their lives for what they have. This could not be further from the truth in many cases and specifically in relation to my own parents. Yes, they're white, and yes, they haven't dealt with the same level of discrimination in their own lives because they are white, but they most certainly haven't been handed anything. They've earned what they have now and their ability to enjoy what they have now from the many years of not having and having to work towards being "haves." And even in the traditional sense of what it means to be a "have," they are not truly "haves," but really just people who have built a life for themselves from many years of hard work. This hard work is the reason my sister and I are able to acknowledge our own privilege in the way that we do. We are both willing to acknowledge that we are white privileged and that we are also privileged in other senses because of all that we've been afforded as a result of my parents' hard work and struggles.
I didn't actually realize until I went to college how privileged I was, which is ironic, because looking back over previous blog posts wouldn't offer any inkling that college taught me anything about actual suffering or obstacles. But that's kind of the point in terms of my own grappling with privilege. Because my parents worked the way they did and built the life for my sister and I that we had, I was sheltered in a way that I couldn't recognize until I wasn't at home anymore. I'm certain that I also am guilty of submitting a college admissions essay that tried to find a way to frame my experience as one of great struggle and overcoming obstacles, because as The Perils of "Privilege" notes, that is what college admissions essays generally devolve into: a student who probably hasn't struggled very much looking for ways to make the struggle seem real.
As someone who benefits from white privilege, consciously or unconsciously, I'd be remiss in understating how important I think it is to do the research and have the introspective moments where I consider what privilege has afforded me. Especially given BLM and some of the recent news stories and the back and forth struggle between "All Lives Matter" versus "Black Lives Matter," I struggle to find my place in these conversations, because I think (like many white people), I'm not sure if it's better to be quiet or if it's better to speak up. I have had the experience of speaking up and being told that I couldn't possibly understand or of seeing friends post on social media with the disclaimer along the lines of "and if you're one of my white friends, don't try to say you get it. You don't." So given that, how am I supposed to take part in the discussion?
It isn't enough to just be aware that privilege plays a role in my life. What is the next step? How do we move beyond just making people check themselves and their privilege and actually translate that into creating a world where all things are equal? Because one thing I've never questioned is that clearly things aren't equal for everyone. We now live in a world where all too much doesn't make any sense at all. How can someone who's arrested for dealing weed earn a longer prison sentence than someone who shot and killed an unarmed teenager? Why is it okay to ignore the fact that statistically speaking, more black people are given longer sentences for the same crimes committed by white people? And why does saying "Black Lives Matter" lead to the immediate response of "All Lives Matter?" I cringe to admit it, but probably around the same time I was in college, I would also have been someone who would have erroneously responded with "All Lives Matter" because that would have been my knee jerk response. But let's be real. Is saying "Black Lives Matter" really meant to imply that anyone else's life matters less? No. No one is arguing that anyone's life matters less. No one is trying to say that because you're white or asian or purple or polka dotted that anyone thinks you deserve to be shot. And the knee jerk response of "All Lives Matter" is part of what continues to divide us, as it prevents us from having an actual conversation about what's happening in America today. With the recent rise in posts of "Blue Lives Matter" on social media, we have yet another facet of the argument to further divide us. Through saying "Black Lives Matter" are we suggesting all cops are bad and that every inequality faced by marginalized people are the result of bad cops who misuse their authority? No. There are just as many good cops who take their authority seriously as there are bad cops, but unfortunately for those who take "to serve and protect" seriously, there are too many who do not.
There's a lot of truth to be found in the memes floating around social media. For instance, there are memes appearing everywhere that suggest that violence against black people by police isn't a new thing, it's just now more of it is being recorded on camera. It's not that terrible things haven't been happening to black people and other marginalized groups as a result of inequality since the founding of our country, it's just now the irrefutable proof is in our faces and flashing across our screens daily.
As I continue to read and determine how to best use my own privilege to navigate the world we are living in, I look to what I've read so far to guide me. Would I consider myself an "ally" in this cause? Not especially. Being an ally by definition would mean that I'm contributing my life and my work to the cause of abolishing inequality, and I don't think I'm there yet. Not by a long shot. Reading and trying to re-educate myself on some of the issues so that I can be a more knowledgeable voice in this discussion still doesn't give me the right to say that I understand how to abolish this inequality that has pervaded our society since the founding of our country. But I can dare to hope that by doing the research and being vocal about my own struggle with educating myself that I can continue to learn and grow and hopefully use my privilege effectively to benefit others who are lacking.
Sources:
Bovy, Phoebe Maltz. The Perils of "Privilege": Why Injustice Can't Be Solved in Accusing Others of
Advantage. St. Martin's Press, 2017.
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