Privilege

There has been a lot of conversation lately about privilege, and many people seem to get offended when told they have privilege.  I looked at dictionary.com, and privilege has multiple definitions.  The first listed may be the definition that gets everyone so stirred up.  Here it is:

a right, immunity, or benefit enjoyed only by a 
person beyond the advantages of most

That definition would typically provoke the response, "I don't have rights, immunities or benefits beyond the advantages of the most".  Maybe if a different word was used, it would be easier to get people to listen to the conversation, instead of argue about it.  Why is the conversation on privilege important?

The conversation is important because too many people seem to have the attitude that because they have had a successful life, anyone who wants to have a successful life can have one, and that is simply not true.

For this post, I'm not going to use the word privilege.  I'm going to say I was fortunate to.  Here is the list of the fortunes of birth I enjoy.  I'm going to start with the easy stuff and hit the harder stuff as I go.

I was fortunate to be born in the United States.
I was fortunate to be born to an intact family (both parents in the home).
I was fortunate to be born with a large extended family, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends who lived in geographic proximity to me.
I was fortunate to never suffer from food insecurity as a child.
I was fortunate to always have clothes and shoes as a child.
I was fortunate to have medical and dental care as a child.
I was fortunate to have my mother home with me until the third grade, when she began working outside the home as well as in the home.
I was fortunate that neither of my parents had to work multiple jobs, or go to school at night to get the means to support our family.
I was fortunate to be raised in a faith tradition, so that I enjoyed the support and encouragement of my church family as well as my extended family.
I was fortunate that my faith tradition is shared by millions, so that I never suffered discrimination for my faith tradition.
I was fortunate to be born without any physical, mental, emotional or social challenges to learning easily in a traditional classroom, and participating fully in physical education classes.
I was fortunate to be born into a family that believed in volunteering to help a cause.
I was fortunate to be born into a family that believed in education.
I was fortunate to be born into a family that believed that a college education was a good thing, and realizable for me.
I was fortunate to be born into a family that believed I could be whatever I worked to be.
I was fortunate to be born into a family that discussed the news and current affairs at the dinner table, and in the living room.
I was fortunate to be born into a family that supported my interests, and provided transportation to activities I wanted to participate in.
I was fortunate to be born white.
I was fortunate to be born with a gender that corresponds to how I perceive myself.
I was fortunate to be born heterosexual.

I didn't do anything to deserve this good fortune, and all of the things on this list made it easier for me to be successful.

There is nothing wrong with not having the things on this list.  There are others more fortunate than I, who have a longer list.  There are other less fortunate then I, that have a shorter or different list.  The problem starts when people think they have done something special simply because they are enjoying the life the fortunes of their birth created for them.

I accept that I am extraordinarily privileged.  I have amazing compassion for those that struggle because of the fortunes of their birth, and amazing respect for those that have accomplished great things in spite of the fortunes of their birth.

There is no level playing field.  When we accept that there will always be those less fortunate, and more fortunate than ourselves,  and commit to helping the less fortunate close the gaps that hold them back from success, the better off we all are.

There is no need to feel guilty because you are privileged.  There is every reason to feel grateful.

Put your gratitude into action by working on behalf of removing discrimination and prejudice from your world.  Don't support it - speak loudly against it.

We will never have a world empty of privilege, but when we acknowledge that some have an easier path than others, helping each other on the tough parts of the path just becomes our normal.

It is a normal the world needs.