EDUS 673f17...an online space to extend our classroom community.
Monday, October 23, 2017
October 25...Privilege, Power and Difference
Johnson defines privilege in an unusual way. If, upon reading about his version of privilege, you recognized its existence in places/situations you hadn’t previously, please share (provided you feel comfortable sharing). Note: This can be a situation in which you are the beneficiary of privilege or one in which you are not.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Callie speaking...
ReplyDeleteWhen Johnson talks about the social construction of reality, he opened my eyes to something I hadn't ever thought about before when talking about disability and nondisability. First, sometimes a disability isn't something that's obvious or can be seen. So, unless the person says outright that they have the disability, no one else would have any idea, thus, keeping their status of privilege of being nondisabled. I also thought it was interesting how Johnson pointed out that when discussing disabilities and nondisabilities, how once people are identified as such, they become THE blind, THE crippled, THE mentally ill, as if that is their only was of identifying themselves. I've even seen some of this in school settings like saying THE gifted/talented students or THE intervention students. As human beings, Johnson explains, we give something a name and it then acquires a significance it otherwise does not have. Just as I stated before, if a white male were to tell his boss of 10 years that he is clinically depressed, this might effect what type of responsibilities his boss gives him from there on out.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteRight off the bat, this book caught my attention. Allaan explains: "All of us are the problem. There is no way to avoid that as long as we live in this world. But we could also make ourselves part of the solution if only we knew how". When reading about privilege, one thing that he says that stood out to me was about how being white in America means not having to think about it. It really resonated with me that by not naming things such as racism, sexism, and privilege, we are making zero progress in identifying and addressing issues that are so prevalent in our every day lives.
ReplyDelete-Maris
I've always been aware of the ways that I did not enjoy privilege as an African-American female. I've been followed in stores more times than I can remember and I have been told that I was an exemplar of African-American success as a student in a predominately white school (read: my success was surprising) before I was 13. It wasn't until I got older, high-school age maybe, that I realized that I was afforded certain privileges, like access to the better schools in my school system, because of my mom's job, being raised in a two-parent home, my status as a college student (education), and being relatively comfortable in terms of class and financial stability. For me, Johnson reinforced the reality that privilege transcends race, which we normally hear about, and that we have an obligation to try to fix the very obvious problems that plague our society.
ReplyDelete- Jamiee Freeman
When I hear the word privilege, I think of what people have based upon who they are, and where they come from. When you go to Saint Michaels in Henrico, you see those children are privileged. Their moms take them to school where they pay $30,000 a year to attend. They have everything they need, and more for their education. What I have never thought about was unearned entitlement. Unearned entitlements are things all people should have no matter who you are. The books talks about how an unearned entitlement would be feeling in a safe place. Everyone should have a secure feeling where you go. No matter who you are, where you come from, or what race you are. No one deserves to feel uncomfortable in any situation. Sadly, a lot of that happens for everyone, whites, asians, african americans, and others. We need to start changing our communities, and ourselves to foster a better relationship for everyone we meet. I think this is an important lesson for us as teachers. We need to foster a classroom environment that allows students to feel safe, loved, and appreciated. If we don't do that, do we even belong in a classroom?
ReplyDeleteJohnson says that receiving privilege has nothing to do with you as a person. Instead, it pertains to how others view you and whether or not you fit into a pre-determined, privileged group or category that is determined by society. Because I am racially ambiguous, people typically don’t know what ‘category’ to put me in. I have seen this privilege play out in comparison to some of my family members whose skin is darker than mine. As an example, I have a female cousin that is around the same age, and would be considered the same social class. Her mom and my dad are siblings. She is darker than I am because her dad is African American. She has been followed around stores on multiple occasions, while I never have. I have also been pulled over for speeding and have not received a ticket; she has not been so lucky. I think it is important to take away that Johnson emphasizes that we cannot control how others define us, but that we realize that it is a real problem and stop trying to pretend like it doesn’t exist.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading the lists of "What Privilege Looks Like in Everyday Life." The lists are clear cut and cement the fact that privilege shows up in details of people's lives in almost every single social setting. I like that Johnson encourages to go through the lists carefully and slowly and to try to identify situations in which each event may occur. I especially like that he points out that it may be difficult for some to believe these situations are true, mainly those who are white, male, heterosexual, or non-disabled. I've quoted a few situations that stood out to me:
ReplyDeleteWhites aren't confused by other whites, as if all whites look alike.
If men do poorly at something or make a mistake or commit a crime, they can generally assume that people won't attribute the failure to their gender.
Heterosexuals don't run the risk of being reduced to a single aspect of their lives, as if being heterosexual summed up the kind of person they are.
Non-disabled people can live secure in other people's assumption that they are sexual beings capable of an active sex life, including the potential to have children and be parents.
After reading a few chapters of this book I realize I have read some of it (a different version, probably) in a Social Justice course I took a few years ago. I remember reading it and being enlightened and relating to the notion that if you’re white in America, you don’t have to think about privilege. Personally, I love the way he defines privilege, as he sheds a different light on it then it typically gets referred to in pop culture. I am white, so therefore, in America, and in most of the world, I am privileged. I am a woman I identify as one, and I am heterosexual, so in comparison to man, I am disprivileged, but in comparison to a person who doesn’t identify as a woman, or a straight woman, but has been labeled a woman, I am privileged. It’s imperative to think about your own privilege, and reflect upon how it both advantages/disadvantages you in everyday life, especially as a teacher, as you will be interacting and teaching students from all walks of life, backgrounds, and various privileged and disprivilged positions. Besides being a woman, I feel that I am overall a privileged person. Growing up, I was disprivileged in that my single-mom could, at times, barely make ends meet, thus struggling financially and were a part of the low/working class of society. Though, we were privileged enough to live in a community that was caring and generous. Randomly, for a period of time, we would receive baskets of stuff: food, money gift cards, etc. on our front porch. At the time, as a child, I didn’t recognize my family's privilege in receiving these generous gifts from others who were privileged. I merely thought it was due to good luck and nice people, and while it was, it also had to do with privilege.
ReplyDeleteI was so interested by this reading. Johnson makes a statement in chapter one that really struck me: "Our collective house is burning down, and we're tiptoeing around afraid to say 'fire.'" I really appreciate how Johnson discusses that a large issue with why we have not seen large-scale change occur is because we are afraid to name things for what they are. Instead of talking about racism and sexism, we talk about "diversity," "tolerance," and "appreciating difference." This really stuck out to me because I did not realize until I read this how true his argument is. We- people of privilege- have watered down the "-ism's" to phrases that sound more polite and "softer," when really we are skirting around the real issue.
ReplyDelete-Stephanie Liggitt
What I thought was interesting was that the way the book talks about how naming it draws attention to it in regards to privilege and that we cant address it if we're unwilling to talk about it. I've often thought about how the word "privilege" makes people feel immediately defensive, so I wonder how we broach the topic in the classroom so as to promote an inclusive environment as opposed to divisive in all regards. Im aware of how I benefit from being a white heterosexual female, but Im also aware of the privilege I don't have on account of my sex and my condition as a Type 1 juvenile diabetic. I can remember having to quit a job because they wouldn't make reasonable accommodations for my medical requirements (having to carry certain supplies on my person for example), or not being able to make up an exam in high school that I missed because I couldn't control my blood sugars, but I didn't go see my endocrinologist (to get a note) because those appointments can only be made 3 months in advance.
ReplyDeleteI think its important to recognize one's own privilege, and lack there of to better understand one's students. They too will range from the most to the least privileged and this will most certainly affect how they learn and how they interact with you. It requires our recognition if we're going to change it.
While reading this, I thought a lot about a court case from 2015 that I'm sure a lot of you remember: People of the state of California v. Brock Turner. I thought about this because of how he was portrayed for the duration of the case, and the final ruling of the case itself. When the story first broke, as opposed to using his mug shot, news stations put up Turner's swimming roster photo. They referred to him as a great athlete, an Olympic hopeful, a good kid, etc. He was convicted of three counts of felony sexual assault, which should result in fourteen years in prison. The prosecution recommended six years, but Turner was sentenced to six months in a county jail, three years probation, and to be a registered sex offender. His father is on the record for saying that his minimized sentence was a "steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20 plus years of life." People talked about how this would ruin Turner's life, how he wouldn't be able to be a college athlete anymore, but never how privileged he actually was/still is. How if he was a black, lower-class male, that he statistically would have been given more time, or at least made to fulfill his entire sentence. How when black people are arrested, you almost always see their mugshots, and not the photo from their sports team's roster picture. How so often black males are referred to as thugs before they're ever referred to as good kids. In the reading, one of Johnson's examples of everyday privileges fits perfectly with this. "Whites are less likely than blacks to be arrested; once arrested, they are less likely to be convicted, less likely to go to prison, regardless of the crime of circumstances." I think it is so important to acknowledge whatever privilege you hold, and it is important to do so because there is someone oppressed at the other end. Brock Turner definitely isn't the only example of how white privilege is portrayed in the media and in our society. I think that it is something to be talked about and not swept under the rug because it is uncomfortable to talk about. Because how will we able to change anything if we don't talk about it? Privilege applies to all of us, one way or another. I believe our country has been proving lately that just because you ignore problems doesn't mean that they go away.
ReplyDelete-Ashleigh Ingram
I appreciate Johnson's definition of privilege and his assertion that we don't call things for what they are and therefore see a lack of progress and change. We, as a society, need to work collectively in checking ourselves and calling out privilege when we see it. Privilege is something nobody wants to admit to because everyone believes we are working hard for what we have and in no way is there an underlying sense of privilege. Johnson's definition, in my opinion, more accurately defines privilege as how other's perceive your place in society. It reinforces the social construct of privilege and how we have created it ourselves. One example I have experienced, using Johnson's definition of privilege as a perception from others is my own sexuality. Being a queer individual, I am disprivleged in that I am defined by my sexuality and thus seen as this once faceted person; however, I am privleged in that I am a white middle class woman, and my bisexuality means that when I am dating a man, I am "passable" for a heterosexual woman. This privilege allows me to not experience prejudice or oppression, or even the violence the queer community faces. Others perceive me as straight and therefore I obtain more privilege than others in the LGBTQIA+ community.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading about privilege it reminded me of when I participated in the privilege walk in one of my classes during grad school. My experience was quite surprising and eye opening. While I identify as a female Asian American, I felt I had high privilege prior to the walk. However, at the end of the walk I stood there with the rest of the minority women in the back representing those who were far less privileged. In that moment, I felt there was a significant divide between some of my classmates and me. In a sense, I also felt as if I were being labeled or categorized as "less privileged" or "not good enough." Despite what this privilege walk categorized me as, it's important to note that privilege is contextually based.
ReplyDelete-Hannah C.
Johnson refers to the analysis of Peggy Mclintosh to describe privilege, “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” (p. 23). He also illustrates race, gender and sexual privilege, but in fact, privilege is not just limited to these three aspects; instead, it represents in different aspects in different countries with different situations. For example, in all colleges in China, all international students, no matter how their performances are, have “living privilege”—only can they live a furnished apartment with at most one roommate. But native students can just live in a dormitory, like me, sharing a room with other five girls and no bathroom or kitchen or a desk in the room.
ReplyDelete-Feifei Xu
Johnson brings up the point that a lot of people are afraid to speak about privilege, especially their own. While I do agree, I don’t think this is always the case. I honestly think that some people are ignorant to their own privilege. It is common to hear someone say, “I don’t have any special privileges, I work hard for everything I have.” While this may be true that they work hard, opportunities may come more easily to them because of their race, religion, culture, etc. We won’t see a big change until people first reflect and realize the privilege they might not have even known they had since birth. An example of this ignorance are the people that claim a student in a high poverty urban school have the exact same opportunity as a student in a wealthy suburban school because they are both public schools. Any teacher knows that this, unfortunately, simply is not true. Students in the second school will have more opportunities, materials, and higher qualified teachers than those in the urban school. If people don’t begin to realize their own privilege is not just from hard work, the conversation and the change will never happen.
ReplyDeleteReading about priviledge reminds me about a facebook video I saw the other day. I know it sounds silly but it was really eye opening to think of the little things that I took for granted. For example, I worked in high school and was just able to put that money away. They basically set it up as a race to the other side of the field to get $100. You were allowed to take steps forward if the thing applied to you. For example, if your parents were still together. These people were taking giant steps (they were college students and let's face it who doesn't want a $100). They went on like this and some kids were left all the way at the back. It left you thinking that they made it to this point too though. They made it to college in spite of all of this. I thought it was a really cool visual to see. Now I think there is a difference between priviledge and priviledged. I know it sounds silly but one I think is taken for granted and the other is acknowledged and used to help others who are not as fortunate. I think that if people don't realize what they have then they cannot begin to give back and truley be thankful for the difference they are making.
ReplyDelete-Farrell Bishop
I never associated privilege as “relating to others,” I’ve always thought about my privileges and myself. I think people create these ‘problems’ because they are unhappy with the way things are going for them. If we weren’t so selfish and stubborn about what we want in life and how we choose to live, then there would be no “problem” associated with privilege. I don’t see myself as part of the problem and that is the problem. Getting people to realize that they can be part of the solution and do something about it. Some people don’t know “how privilege operates in the world, affects people and what that has to do with me.” We can open our minds up to a new way of thinking but we can’t be forced to do it. Some people will think outside of the box to remove these barriers and others won’t. It all depends on how people perceive the world and what they think is best for them in their society.
ReplyDelete-Mary
I think one of the hardest but most important things that those who benefit from privilege can do to help further the conversation is to be willing to acknowledge their own privilege, because for most people, having privilege means not having to think about it. As a white, heterosexual, middle-class, male, I know that I live a very privileged life. That doesn't mean that I don't experience difficulties. But I know that the difficulties I do face are not because of the circumstances of my birth or existence. I don't have to overcome the same bias or discrimination that those without those privileges may have to overcome. I think that if more people were willing to acknowledge their privilege, not necessarily apologize for it, but just acknowledge it, that would help to move the dialogue forward.
ReplyDeleteMarc Heaton
Johnson's view of privilege wasn't really new to me. This subject has kind of been in many of my writing classes, my education classes, and even my tutor training at VCU's campus learning center. I can't say this has helped me recognize its existence in anything new. I did find much of it to be interesting, as part of the problem I have with these talks is I feel like I'm supposed to feel guilty for my heterosexual white male status and that I'm holding on to something that I need to be giving to someone else. Johnson helped give me a little insight into this with his quote from Harry Brod- “We need to be clear that there is no such thing as giving up one's privilege to be “outside” the system. One is always in the system... Privilege is not something I take and which I therefore have the option of not taking. It is something that society gives me, and unless I change the institutions which give it to me, they will continue to give it...” So it's not about my personally as an individual, like he says earlier “Individuals are the ones who experience privilege... but individuals aren't what is actually privileged”
ReplyDelete-Peter LaBarr
Lyly here -
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the chapters, we have a good idea of what privilege is. Each person does have their own privilege in a sense. Everyone is exposed to privilege - whether it is their own or others' privileges putting them at a disadvantage. Johnson does a great job of bringing this into light, and I think that it is necessary that everyone becomes comfortable with the idea about talking about privilege - especially their own privilege. Through that, we are able to examine ourselves but also realize how we can use our own power to benefit others who may not be in the same position.
Throughout reading the chapters, I evaluated myself. I wrote down everything that makes me feel privileged, such as - I grew up in a two-parent household, I am able to attend a four-year university, I was then able to further my education and am currently in the process of obtaining my master's degree, I have a car, I have a part time job. I then took it one step farther and thought about things I couldn't control - such as my ethnicity. I am an Asian American, so I already fall into the category of a "model minority" - if you don't know what that term is, look it up. That means despite the disadvantages most POC face, Asians are usually seen as very successful, especially in school and careers.
Given that I have taken some previous course in Gender and Women's studies, I can't say that much of what Johnson had to say was something I haven't learned to consider. However, I did appreciate the focus on reclaiming the language of oppression as terms only meant to identify a problem and not meant to describe a person or people. Often I find that many people that engage it the now growing 'call out' culture is not necessarily helpful to address the problem in our society in reference to power and privileged. Word like racism or sexism are being used to have productive conversation. Instead they are used as forms of assault. They shut down conversations instead of allowing dialogue. This is what I feel contributes to the biggest barrier of change as mention by Johnson; bringing those both with and without privilege into a productive conversation towards change.
ReplyDeleteJohnson showed that privilege is intersectional. Privilege is multifaceted and can occur regardless of race/gender/sexuality/disability/etc. For example, as a white, able bodied female, I’m privileged by being white and able bodied. However, by being a woman, I’m not as privileged as men are. I think a lot of people are threatened by the term “privilege” since no one wants to admit that they exert power over another group. We all exert power over someone and once everyone realizes that, then I think it can open up discussions about inequities in our society.
ReplyDeleteMichaela Richmond
I had the mindset of being less privileged than others as I was growing up and it didn't really hit me until the fourth grade. As an Asian American woman, I am considered as a minority to society. I have lived life with many disadvantages, even to this day, due to my ethnicity and gender. I remember a traumatic time when I moved and transferred to a different elementary school during the middle of the school year. Since my grandparents were living with us at the time and we spoke mostly Korean in our household, I picked up on a thick Korean accent. However, I was still very fluent in English. The first week of school was terrifying because I did not know anybody. I was extremely shy and reserved towards the class so I did not speak much. One day, I overheard some of my classmates whispering that they did not want me in their group for a project because I don’t know English. I always felt excluded from the class until another new student was “welcomed”. This student was extremely different from the rest of us: He always wore the same dirty clothes, he smelled, and he never had school supplies. I realized on that day that there are a lot more people who are less privileged than me. I believe that this is an example of why we associate privilege as comparing to others.
ReplyDelete-Jin Kim
There are privileges for just about every example of gender, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and social class. Johnson explains that gender, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and social class should not let us fear and judge each other he says "we don't need to love one another or even like one another to work together or just share space in the world." We all like to feel that way – accepted, valued, supported, appreciated, respected, belonging.
ReplyDeleteAs an immigrant, I had the privilege to have a better life through the sacrifices of my parents. I am grateful for the things that have been given to me, that's why I don't take anything for granted.