“P” is for Privilege (Episode 7)

This week on [un]phased, Shaunna and Lisa open our eyes to privilege. Privilege exists in many forms, but it is invisible to those who have it. The insidious nature of privilege is a result of systems built by people who wish to maintain power for specific groups. Thus, those systems do not support the needs of all, benefitting some and not others. Privilege is also contextual; our intersecting identities may grant us privilege in some circumstances, and take it away in others.

Acknowledging the ways in which we have identity privilege in our lives is not easy. It requires introspection, and the ability to sit in the discomfort of realizing where our privileges lie. But in doing so, we can start to create spaces with those who experience marginalization as a result of the privileges each of us holds. With a little humility, we can pull the proverbial curtain back and name the power at play.

Find the “Equality vs Equity” cycling infographic at https://fullframeinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/RWJF_bikes_equality_equity_PURPLE.jpg