“What the fuck does that even mean? Check my privilege? Pffft! I’m not privileged! I work hard for everything I have.” This is often the response from those who are privileged and without an understanding of what it actually means.
Oxford languages dictionary defines privilege as a special right, advantage or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group.
On the surface it may seem simple enough but it is a complex and often controversial subject. There are many different types of privilege, for example; white male privilege; white privilege; male privilege; etc… For the purpose of this post I am discussing privilege as it relates to socioeconomic status. To put in perspective, a certain amount of education is a right; an education from a private boarding school, and/or post secondary school is a privilege. Housing is a basic human right, but home ownership, well, that’s another privilege reserved for those who can afford it. The higher one travels through the upper echelons of society, the more privilege.
At the top of the so-called food chain we have the very wealthy. The Jeff Bezos and Elon Musks of the world. They have access to the most exclusive restaurants, country clubs, and first class travel to wherever they want to go, space included. They can afford high-end homes complete with swimming pools, manicured lawns and gardens, tennis courts, etc… They can buy luxury vehicles and the latest fashions in designer clothing. Their kids attend private schools, and ivy league universities, assuming they have the smarts. Their money can even influence politics.
At the lowest point, there are the severely underprivileged people. They are the people we see living in tents, panhandling on the streets, and sleeping in doorways. They are the poorest of the poor, rejected and marginalized by society. They don’t have cars, unless they are sleeping in them, they aren’t welcome in fancy restaurants, or even fast food joints, and there’s no kitchen for them to cook in. They often don’t even have access to toilets or showers, the basic things that I take for granted every day. Their children, if they have any, are taken away and end up in foster care or with a relative because the parent(s) can’t provide for them.
In between these extremes there are several socioeconomic classes ranging from the wealthy who are only worth millions instead of billions; the middle classes (upper middle; middle; and lower middle); and let’s not forget the working poor who survive paycheck to paycheck and those who receive a fixed monthly income.
The wealthy enjoy many of the same privileges the very wealthy do though they may not have their own spaceships. You might find them living in gated communities or in urban centres or on large estates in the country. They may even have more than one home. Their children are in all the sports and pretty much have all the same advantages as the very wealthy.
The areas within a city where the poor reside often have reputations for being rough and unsafe neighbourhoods complete with gangs. There’s a higher risk of kids joining gangs out of boredom or peer pressure. Boredom comes from a lack of access to organized activities like sports and community groups. Even if they could access organized activities, their parents are probably not in a position to pay for it. They are underprivileged kids.
When I hear “check your privilege” it prompts me to take a step back and think about the advantages I have over other groups of people. I’m a white female, I live in a nice quiet middle class neighbourhood, we own the house we live in, I don’t work but I do have a small income and my partner makes really good money. We have a fairly privileged lifestyle, we can afford to enjoy our hobbies, go to decent restaurants, or order in, and there’s money saved for a rainy day. I’d say we fall into the upper middle class.
So the next time you hear “check your privilege”, how will it impact you? Will you be offended and get angry? Or will you own your privilege and understand the advantages you have over others? Will it make you apathetic and callous? Or will it prompt you to be more empathetic and compassionate?
My Phoenix Rising 