Privileges/Oppression

Being a caucasian, heterosexual, cisgender, female, living in America, I am privileged in so  many ways that I do not think I realize on a regular basis. I am indeed white, therefore my credit score is automatically higher, I will not be thought twice about getting higher at a job and I can go most places without being thought of as “sketchy”. Although I am heterosexual, I personally have never really been “offended or weirded out” or whatever excuses people make, by couples who are not a typical male and female. However, I never thought about how easy it is to never have people stare at my boyfriend and I. What really struck me was when someone in class said “we were just walking to lunch holding hands and someone came up and actually clapped at us.” That has to be so strange, people never think twice about straight couples and public displays of affection, and that is definitely one way I am privileged. Another way I am privileged, which I had never put a whole lot of thought into before meeting Ellen Matar (I know several of you know her), is being cisgendered. Never do I get looked at weird or verbally abused when using public facilities such as gyms, locker rooms and even the bathroom! Finding clothing that fits me right according to my gender has never been an issue, and neither has answering the question “male, female, or other”.

Since I am a female living in the United States, I do have many privileges, like voting rights, but I am still oppressed in many ways as well. Personally, my biggest issue with the way I am oppressed is in the business world. Women still do not get equal pay, are rarely the heads of large corporations, and when they are successful, are often accused of “sleeping their way to the top”. The other large way I am oppressed, which I experience on a regular basis, is having to be worried about walking alone and constantly having to worry about my appearance and if that could be used against me in a rape case. Although there are many other ways I experience oppression, the other prevalent one in my life is assumed I’m a bad driver and know nothing to do with anything electronic.

While I am definitely fortunate to be privileged in as many ways as I am, there are still many ways I am oppressed. The unfortunate thing about this world is we focus on our oppressions, and they often time over shine our privileges. I am personally going to try to more often reflect on my privileges and hope some day everyones’ oppressions can be lessened.

Until Next Time,

Ciara