I always found the following description of privilege by Peggy
McIntosh to be true:
“Privilege exists when one group has something of value that is denied to others simply because of the groups they belong to, rather than because of anything they’ve done or failed to do. Access to privilege doesn’t determine one’s outcomes, but it is definitely an asset that makes it more likely that whatever talent, ability, and aspirations a person with privilege has will result in something positive for them.” y
When talking about privilege, most people feel discomfort. Having privilege is not inherently a bad thing, but it is how you utilize it and how others are impacted by it, that you must vigilantly attend to.
I have two considerations regarding privilege college and health.
I was thinking about my children and their application to college…a private college. One of the questions was about what members of your family had attended the institution. Ah, I’d say that is Institutional Classism. Colleges giving preference to children of alumni, thus making it harder for first-generation college applicants to get in.
Another part of privilege that I considered as I read this week’s information was health privilege. This pandemic has changed life as we know it. In the United States, COVID-19 has shown that long-standing historical, racial, and social inequities continue to persist despite extensive public health and clinical efforts. Minorities who tend to have less privilege and access to proper health care as well as healthy food options have suffered more throughout the pandemic.
In response to COVID-19, the federal government issued coronavirus guidelines urging Americans to stay home and contact their medical provider if they feel sick. While these guidelines may seem simple at first glance, we must consider Americans who work in industries with minimal pay, work jobs with no sick leave, and are uninsured or underinsured. People with privilege were protected while those without that protection were not.
“Privilege exists when one group has something of value that is denied to others simply because of the groups they belong to, rather than because of anything they’ve done or failed to do. Access to privilege doesn’t determine one’s outcomes, but it is definitely an asset that makes it more likely that whatever talent, ability, and aspirations a person with privilege has will result in something positive for them.” y
When talking about privilege, most people feel discomfort. Having privilege is not inherently a bad thing, but it is how you utilize it and how others are impacted by it, that you must vigilantly attend to.
I have two considerations regarding privilege college and health.
I was thinking about my children and their application to college…a private college. One of the questions was about what members of your family had attended the institution. Ah, I’d say that is Institutional Classism. Colleges giving preference to children of alumni, thus making it harder for first-generation college applicants to get in.
Another part of privilege that I considered as I read this week’s information was health privilege. This pandemic has changed life as we know it. In the United States, COVID-19 has shown that long-standing historical, racial, and social inequities continue to persist despite extensive public health and clinical efforts. Minorities who tend to have less privilege and access to proper health care as well as healthy food options have suffered more throughout the pandemic.
In response to COVID-19, the federal government issued coronavirus guidelines urging Americans to stay home and contact their medical provider if they feel sick. While these guidelines may seem simple at first glance, we must consider Americans who work in industries with minimal pay, work jobs with no sick leave, and are uninsured or underinsured. People with privilege were protected while those without that protection were not.