Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Irreverin

Home
Progressive Christian
Do We Need A New Word For “Privilege?”

Do We Need A New Word For “Privilege?”

Last updated on: March 7, 2020 at 10:35 am by Erin Wathen

Do We Need A New Word For “Privilege?” 2020-03-07T10:35:02-07:00 Erin Wathen

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I’m getting weird deja vu as I start this post. Sometimes things I write sound weirdly familiar, but as I have written nearly 1000 blog posts in the last decade– plus 2 books and more than a few hundred sermons– I don’t always know if I have written a thing before, or if I have just thought it/said it somewhere.

Which is to say, I may have said all this before; but even if I have, it bears repeating. Especially right now. It needs to be said again and again until the world changes dramatically. So, stop me if you’ve heard it, but:

We have a problem with privilege. And I don’t just mean with the thing itself– I mean with how we hear and understand the word.

In many circles–even in some progressive circles– folks tend to bristle at the word. It’s a word that we associate with hedge fund kids who have had everything handed to them; out of touch billionaires who’ve enjoyed a lifetime of leisure and ease; the children of Hollywood movie stars whose parents bribed a path into the Ivy League for them? Privilege. Dripping with it. If we’re 80s kids, maybe we think of that old Richie Rich cartoon; Thurston Howell III, or Veruca Salt. Our collective imaginations go to these caricatures of wealth and ease.

The problem, of course, is that privilege is a lot more complicated than just wealth and excess.

And when we have this oversimplified understanding of the word, it keeps us from recognizing the many ways that we do have privilege– and the ways that our privilege might, however unintentionally, cause harm to others.

The prickly reactions when people resist the notion are complicated. People think you are challenging their hardships; or their accomplishments; maybe both. “I’ve never been privileged, I’ve always worked hard.” “I’m not privileged, my family was poor growing up, we were on food stamps.” “I don’t have privilege, I had to get a job to pay for college.”

Stop me if you’ve heard it.

But when we talk about systemic injustice and recognizing one’s own privilege, it is not to dispute the validity of anyone’s hardship. It is not to imply that someone has not struggled, or worked hard and made the best of opportunities given to them in order to improve their lives. By “privilege,” we just mean that none of those struggles were contributed to by race or gender. We’re talking about systems and structures that have been built by and for white men, for generations, and so still carry a lot of advantages for people in that demographic. It’s about the nature of patriarchy and how it is still shaping our economy, our culture, and our elections.

Lord. Our elections.

Of course, there are all kinds of privilege. There is hetero- privilege and cis privilege. Economic privilege and able-bodied privilege. I recently overheard a conversation about “pretty privilege,” but I do believe that is a big ol’ can of worms we need to open on another day. There is Christian privilege too, and I know I’ve written that post already.

But for all the kinds of privilege that exist, ‘white’ and ‘male’ are the dominant forces in America. For all the progress we’ve made, it is the year of our Lord 2020, and we still can’t elect a woman president; and the raging backlash from having a black one might last for decades.

There are many, many things in the world about which we can disagree–but the existence of this kind of privilege is not one of them. There are truths I will tell until I die, no matter how uncomfortable or angry it makes someone else. Because until we can pull this out into the light of day and name it, it owns us all.

Name your own privilege today. That’s thing one. What advantages do you have over your neighbor? What factors beyond your control have contributed to your success? I will own that I have cis/hetero/white/able-bodied privilege. And I recognize this in the hopes that recognition will help me actively take part in leveling the playing field. You have to name a sin to dismantle it.

The problem, of course, is that no matter how long or how loud I sing this song–no matter how well articulated it comes from people of color, queer folks, immigrants– there are those who won’t hear it.

Of course, those in power will always do what they can to keep their power. But I’m wondering if what we really need is a different word? A word that does not trigger the instant defense mechanism that often follows. A word that might invite and engage some people who have previously excused themselves from the conversation. What is that word?

I know so many words. Of course, I may not know all the BEST words, like certain white men in White Houses. But you know… I know a lot of damn words.

Two books, 500+ sermons, a thousand blog posts– that’s how many damn words I know. But I do not know a word that will call to account and effectively engage those who can’t and won’t see their place in this story. I don’t know the word that can name all the ways a system tilts in our favor, without letting those who benefit from that system dismiss it out of hand. I don’t have that word.

Let’s figure this out though. It could be a game-changer. What is that magic word?

Previous Post

March 4, 2020

Vote From The Edge: What's Next After Super Tuesday Disappointment

Next Post

March 10, 2020 Viral Fear Reveals The Worst Of Us: COVID-19 And Fear Of Scarcity

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category a good week for progress Advent and Christmas Being a Person desert life faith and community Good News for Progressives Lent and Easter Marriage and Family S*^! Jesus Says sabbatical road tripping Spirituality in Culture Talking to Strangers the "Best Stuff I Ever Ate" diet travel Uncategorized writing Writing Prompt Wednesday

Select a Month January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 February 2011 July 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: The book of Psalms contains exactly 100 psalms.

Select your answer to see how you score.

TRUE FALSE