Unequal Perspective & Privilege

Today’s Daily Prompt I found perfect – not just because it’s Blog Action Day, but also because it’s Spirit Day – wear purple and take a stand against bullying and show support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth.

http://www.glaad.org/spiritday

Equality. It’s something that’s a hot button issue for so many lately  – nothing wrong with that – but something I don’t think we all understand. I mean, how can we? Do we spend hours on end thinking about how we’re treated and how that might be different from someone else? I can honestly say that while I do think about it, it’s not something that I have to think about all the time or have to deal with on a daily basis.

So why don’t I have to deal with it on a daily basis? I happen to have been born white. A white girl, from a middle class family in the United States. I’ve been set on a pretty high level of privilege throughout most of my life – and if that’s the perspective I’ve been given than how am I ever going to realize that that’s not the same perspective that everyone else sees the world from?

Well I talk to my friends – and realize that color of skin has a lot to do with how the world views you and how you’re taught to view the world. I see that genders are given different view points – and different privileges. How much money you make, or your parents make can change the perspective drastically. Your sexual orientation, your religion and even the accent with which you speak gives you a different outlook on life, a different pigeon-hole to be shoved in within society.

Standing where I stand, viewing things the way I view them – I don’t always experience the inequality of our society. College was always an option, in fact it was expected of me. As a girl that’s amazing – because you look out over the world and it’s not the same for other girls. Being able to get a job with relative ease was never something I had to think about – but I can look out over just the United States – let alone the world – and see that this right is not the same for everyone.

I’m not saying that I haven’t experienced the injustice of inequality. I know what it’s like to be bullied because of judging based on looks, hobbies and the like. I know what it’s like to realize that if there was a male doing my job (especially since I’ve become a manager) they would be paid more – for the sheer fact they’re male and there isn’t that perceived “risk” of me leaving and having children. I’ve seen friends judged on the color of their skin – which makes my skin boil to say the least. And I’ve seen friends judged and denied rights because of their sexual orientation – which is why I’m wearing purple today.

Just because you’re not one that’s experienced day-to-day inequality doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Take a walk in someone else’s shoes, learn empathy. And very quickly you will see how unequal our society is and strive to make a difference. You’ll raise your voice, you will fight for those that have been denied the right to fight. All it takes is one moment in someone else’s shoes to realize that we don’t have the same rights, the same privileges, the same perceptions. Sometimes different perceptions and view points is not a bad thing – but when it denies a group of people rights as citizens of this nation then it’s a problem. And something we cannot stay quiet about.