Читать книгу Diversity, Equity & Inclusion For Dummies - Dr. Shirley Davis - Страница 32

Privilege is advantages, rewards, or benefits given to those in the dominant group solely because of their membership in that group. It operates on personal, interpersonal, cultural, and institutional levels and gives these advantages at the expense of members of target groups. In the United States, privilege is granted to people who have membership in one or more of these social identity groups:

 White people

 Able-bodied people

 Heterosexuals

 Males

 Christians

 Middle- or owning-class people

 Middle-aged people

 English-speaking people

Privilege is characteristically invisible to people who have it. People in dominant groups often believe that they’ve earned the privileges they enjoy or that everyone could have access to these privileges if only they worked to earn them. In fact, privileges are unearned, and they’re granted to people in the dominant groups regardless of whether they want those privileges, and regardless of their stated intent.

Power refers to the capacity to exercise control over others, deciding what’s best for them and who will or won’t have access to resources.

Associated with power are the following terms often used to define social groups that society has afforded more or less power (more/less access):

 Marginalized/oppressed/disadvantaged: Social groups with less power, access, or privilege; social groups that have been disenfranchised, made to be invisible, dehumanized, marginalized, and/or exploited

 Dominant/privileged/advantaged: Social groups with more power, access, and privilege; social groups who have the ability navigate the world without consequence because of unearned advantages at the expense of folks who are marginalized

Having a leadership role means you’re the steward of other people’s experiences. As a leader, take a good look at what privilege means for and benefits you. Examining your privilege can be hard, but good leaders have to welcome that discomfort.