Privilege and....

I have been thinking about privilege a lot over the past two months or so, and also trying to put my lack of privilege into perspective.  I've broken it down into four large categories. Privilege in relation to: gender, class, citizenship, sexuality.

Privilege and Gender

I am a female-bodied, female-identified person who (generally) does my gender. This identity grants me much more privilege than I ever realised.  Since coming to Olympia and interacting more frequently with genderqueer people, I take it for granted a lot less.  For those people who express themselves outside of the gender norm, every situation could possibly end up in violence.  I've heard quite a few tales of difficulties and physical harm from genderqueer people. but also of their resilience and strength to challenge the norm day after day despite the obstacles. 

Privilege and Class

I recently had a revelation about how classist I am against other African-Americans and conversely, how I've been discriminated against based on class by other African-Americans. It took me a long time to break down these disdainful feelings I often had to other African-Americans who did not 'measure up' to my standards of dress, speech, mannerisms etc.  Aside from having them drilled into me  by both society and my other, I was self-projecting.  How did I rank in comparison to other African-Americans, and especially African-American women?  Did I present an appearance better or worse than they?  Was I dressed 'White enough'?  Middle-class enough?  Could my appearance get me through the door without attracting too much attention or encountering too much static?

Now that I realise this biased perspective that I hold, I can work on dismantling it.  But it's difficult, because I think it's the worst '-ism' that I hold.  I can analyse any situation I've been in in the last week and find traces of classism that I've held against people.  However, I am attempting to implement the Seven Steps of Problem Solving, and not being too hard on myself.

Privilege and Citizenship


Roughly one year, before Arizona's SB 1070 passed in Arizona, a some fellow classmates of mine at UCF were debating America's Citizenship Clause.  Person A disagreed entirely with the Clause and thought the US should amend it to align more with European, Middle Eastern and Asian standards regarding citizenship and nationality.  Person B replied that the US was not Europe, the Middle East or Asia.  It was a simple response, but it resonated with me.

The rhetoric being screamed from multiple states regarding immigration reform has also brought to light how fortunate I am to have that blue passport, simply because I was born in the US. I (potentially) have access to services and rights denied millions of individuals despite the fact that they were raised as Americans and currently pay into the tax system.

It's sad to think that a few loud-mouthed racists in their ivory towers have the power to influence so many lives with their signature at the bottom of a piece of paper.  But I can do my part by 1) dropping the I-word (illegals) and 2) challenging individuals who advocate for anti-immigration reform.  Theya re small steps, but I certainly do not underestimate the power of consciousness-raising and getting people to think a little more critically of their beliefs.

Update: I FB'd my friend about this incident and he remembered!  I love RB!!  If he's not in a high profile Deomcrat in 20 years, I'm going to be appalled.

Privilege and Sexuality

This is a bit of a hot issue with me, due in part to many White queers and their notion of 'coming out'.

I will be the first to say that 'coming out' is an important moment for many people. It is when they step outside of the safe confines of hetero-normativity and reject the rigid binary which we all start out in. Now who they choose to 'come out' to is another subject entirely.  Many people think that they need to be 'out, loud and proud' to everyone all of the time.  I'm more inclined to think that it depends on the people around you, the place you are in and most importantly the individual.  Many White queers take for granted that people of colour can be open with their sexualities at all occasions.  They are forgetting their privilege.

Just a few little elements of privilege that I've been mulling over for the past few months. ;)

"Just Choose One"

SS said something to me on Friday that has really had me thinking these past few days. She told me that automatically shutting down any potential desire I may have for Black women is not normal.  I’ve been thinking up reasons as to why I do shut down, and it’s because of the climate towards non-heterosexuals in Orlando, or the South in general. It’s hostile and being from the South (Bible Belt), it was enough to deal with the issue of race without complicating it by adding sexuality to the mix. 

And tonight after watching “Black Is… Black Ain’t” I now have words to express the hostility and tense environment that I came to the realization of my sexuality in.  Basically as a speaker in the film said, being anything other than heterosexual is unacceptable in the Black community and is subject to an automatic exclusion and loss of identity and support.  I wasn’t willing to risk that loss, not in the South.  Out in the NW, the Black community is more open-minded, but I have not forgotten the fear that plagued most of my developing years.