When reading Privilege, Power and Difference by Allan G. Johnson, I found myself being brought back to a lecture I had in an undergrad women's studies course. I was challenged with the idea that privilege is a contronym, a word that has two different meanings. Growing up, we are taught that privilege is a good thing that is earned or rewarded. For example, it's a privilege to get your license when you turn 16 or it's a privilege to stay up past your bedtime. The privilege that is described here is not something that you have to work towards. It essentially comes from where you fall on the Diversity Wheel. "The wheel doesn't say much about the unique individual you know yourself to be, your personal history, the content of your character, what you dream and feel. It does, however, say a lot about the social reality that shapes everyone's life in powerful ways".
In the lecture, we were asked to replace the word privilege with immunity when referring to "white privilege", "gender privilege", etc. Johnson repeats that people of privileged classes tend to be defensive, or "feel put off by my use of words like racism, white, and, even worse, white racism". I wonder if we change our dialogue a little, would we be more open to these types of discussions?
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Sam, I can appreciate what you said about being self-aware of one's own privileges. Especially if you are in the privileged category its hard to understand what the oppressed go through.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you gave examples of what you thought privilege was, stating it was something that was earned. This is exactly how I felt about the word growing up as well. You pulled some great aspects of the article.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you have read McIntosh's piece on the knapsack! Perfect link to this Johnson piece.
ReplyDeleteI think I have also read the unpacking the invisible knapsack. What words would you replace racism and white power/privilege with. and does changing the words avoid the topic. Being uncomfortable is sometimes the push to learn and change to return to comfort. So many have been uncomfortable for years under racism, why now decide that people should not be "uncomfortable" again I think it plays into privilege, almost as if white people should not have to be uncomfortable. What you suggest may avoid the "realness" of the topic
ReplyDeleteHey Kelli! I personally have no idea how to change the negative and defensive conception attached to “privilege”. This book was published over 2 decades ago and not much, if anything, has changed =(. I just thought it would be interesting to apply what I learned in my previous course where you change the word privilege with immunity. I don’t think that takes away from the importance of the conversation. Would it be as simple as JUST changing the word? That would be pretty naive to believe, but it raised a good discussion in that class which has stuck with me for over a decade.
DeleteWow, your point about how we emphasize someone's disability instead of ability stood out to me! Part of the work we need to do in these areas is asset-based development, showing ourselves and others the great resources we have instead of our deficits.
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