The Difference Between You and Them--Martina

When I was younger, I saw privilege as a reward, a treat, a luxury. “It’s a privilege not a right” is something I always heard. Now that I’m older, it still has a luxurious connotation, because to me it is synonymous with the word safety. When one is privileged, when one has privilege, they are much safer than the ones who do not. The dictionary definition of privilege according to Merriam-Webster is, “A right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor”. Immunity . See the connotation of safety? 

Privilege in this day and age means that the majority is less inclined to be inflicted by the harsh realities that the minority is. Privilege means that the voice of a man is enhanced, while the voice of a woman is silenced. Privilege means that a man and woman can safely display their affection publicly. Privilege means some people can practice their religion and culture without being looked down upon. Privilege means that the horrors of racism have never touched the complexion that is fair as harshly as it has the rainbow of skin. 

Privilege can also mean complacency and neutrality, which do not breed peace but facilitate the prolonging of the past. Neutrality is a seemingly good option, but in reality it isn’t. Neutrality isn’t helping the cause, it’s hurting it by indirectly hindering progression. Privilege allows others to be silent on the matters that don’t directly have an effect on them. It is the difference between an indifferent shrug and a voice screaming to be heard over the hushes. It is the difference between moving forward and moving backward. It is the difference between being afraid and being comfortable. 

As the dictionary definition says, “peculiar benefit or advantage.” Privilege isn’t something you always earn anymore, it’s something some people are merely born with. They have the privilege of not needing to fight for where they want to be or who they want to be. Privilege is like being in a swimming race, except you’re racing against an Olympic medalist. It’s not your fault, and it’s not anything that has to do with your morality as a person, you were simply automatically placed at a disadvantage because of something they had that you didn’t. In society, privilege depends on your skin color, your race, your gender, your sexual orientation, your religion, all things that you cannot control but will control your life and how people perceive you. 

If you have privilege, if you think you have the benefit of being able to say “It’s not happening to us it doesn’t matter”, “Dude that’s so gay”, “How is that racist?”, “It’s just a word why can’t I say it?”, then check your privilege. Use it to choose to be louder than the voice that told you what was right and wrong, to choose to think outside of what you were taught, to choose to educate yourself on the adversities that plague the people around you. You can either be in the movement or be in the way, and the fact that you have the option, is a privilege. 

“Privilege.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, 28 Nov. 2017.