Introduction
There are distinct kinds of privilege that exist in various levels or points in a person life. The privileged group is treated as the baseline against which comparison is done. This is done to compare those privileges (Johnson 2006). In any case just because a person is privilege in a certain way does not mean they are not privileged in another way. The perspective of privilege has continuously shaped people’s lives for example through certain issues like race, gender, sexuality and disability. Personally privilege has played a huge role on my life regarding how my perspective and understanding of those issues in various dimensions of life (Johnson 2006).
Race
Normally in the past and modern west, racial privilege has always been equated with privilege since money, influence and power usually concentrated among only on Caucasians in Western Europe and North America (Frankenburg 1993). This involve institutionalized racism that is a system that has a structure to privilege other people. In various media groups, race plays into determining character types and roles. This stereotypical issue has over the past influenced my perspective on racial privilege. This because every person regardless of the race has the ability to fit in different system therefore in my life I have always treated people equally.
Sexuality
In the media, we seldom view lead who are od-identified unless their sexuality is pivotal (Johnson 2006). It also includes sexual history and practices as the media associates a woman’s worth through history and also relates girl’s worth to her chastity and practices of being sexually active. In my life I have discovered that heterosexuals enact their sexuality often for example presence of wedding rings and photos of children. Some things go unnoticed by the public like for example discussions of a person’s spouse in various media groups which are all indications of someone’s sexuality (Case & Hopkins 2012).
Gender and gender identity
Gender
Over the year’s male individuals have had a certain privilege over other people who has different genders. Authority from continuously supersede others as they become over represented in various leadership roles. In my perspective of privilege everyone is entitled to hold leadership position regardless of their gender. Women have come up with different campaigns to support girl child and foresee their success in outdoing men in various activities such as education, work and power (Case & Hopkins 2012).
Gender identity involves the privilege that comes in handy with how one identifies and express in gender terms and is often associated with gender orientation. Gender identity basically conforms to societal and cultural expectations. In my life I have constantly watched the media and viewed difference films. Therefore, I have discovered in various films that there are rare instances to find people whose identity doesn’t conform to cultural and societal expectations.
Disability
In the media, characters with disabilities find them passed up for roles by those able bodied character and without mental illness. My life perspective in this issue is that film should not use mental disabled individuals as a justification for criminal behavior. I have witnessed people who are physically challenged rise up the ranks by using their determination to make a difference in their lives by succeeding in their careers.
Have you been aware of privilege in your life while growing up?
Yes, while growing up I have been aware of privilege at various points of my life
Through properly examining my life, the most interesting thing is that I have been able to change my life experiences by constantly changing my perception of reality. I have been able to overcome depression, pain and anxiety which are barrier factors that often prevent individuals from changing their perspective of privilege.
How privilege has shaped my opportunities, chances and experiences
In various instances in my life, I have often viewed my personal hard work and experiences to have shaped my success in different situations in my life. However, I have focused on myself and what I have been doing and in this way I have been able to help underprivileged individuals. Some people do not focus on others as they the occupy positions of privilege on areas such as race, gender and sexuality. Therefore, I do reflect on specific ways my opportunities and experience have been affected by my privilege (Frankenburg 1993).
I think new understanding of privilege will change my actions and behavior in future. It is evident that our thought defines our reality therefore I am able to change my persona by simply adjusting or based on my ideological thinking
How do privilege and oppression interact in my life?
Oppression basically involves a prolonged unjust treatment to a person or exercise of authority.
People are concerned about issues of justice and societal inequality. All over the world certain groups of individuals are discriminated against and mistreated while an equally significant aspect is by also focusing on how other individual’s groups are advantaged, receive fair treatment and are privileged as a result of oppression (Young 2009).
In my life I have been able to focus on the positive side of my life regardless of the challenge that I encounter. I have been able to focus on the positive results that might arise when am faced with a certain difficulty, in this way I have had experiences and made solutions to counter a problem and how I will be able to behave if faced by a challenge in future situations. I have view oppression and privilege as two sides of the coin and this has had a positive impact in my life.
Forms of privilege that are more visible to me than others
Racial privilege
It is clear that white privilege causes a lot of controversy to people. All white individuals benefit from white privilege. This is because white privilege does not simply mean always getting special treatment or taking things from another race just because a person is white.
References
Johnson, A. G. (2006). Privilege, power, and difference.
Case, K. A., Iuzzini, J., & Hopkins, M. (2012). Systems of privilege: Intersections, awareness, and applications. Journal of Social Issues, 68(1), 1-10.
McIntosh, P. (2010). White privilege and male privilege. The teacher in American society: A critical anthology, 121, 83-92.
Young, I. M. (2009). Five faces of oppression. Geographic thought: A praxis perspective, 55-71.
Ullucci, K. (2006). Book Review: Racism Without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in the United States. Urban Education, 41(5), 533-540.
Frankenburg, R. (1993). White women, race matters: The social construction of whiteness. Routledge.
