- "Social privilege is a theory of special advantage or entitlement that benefits individuals belonging to certain groups, often to the detriment of others."
The unearned advantages and opportunities afforded to individuals or groups based on their social identities, such as race, gender, and class.
Oppression: Referring to the unjust or cruel exercise of power and authority, oppression is a key factor in understanding privilege and is often perpetrated by those who hold significant social, political, or economic power over others.
Power: A concept central to the idea of privilege, power refers to the influence and control that individuals or groups have over others.
Cisgender privilege: The benefits and advantages that individuals who identify as cisgender (meaning their gender identity matches their assigned sex at birth) experience in society in comparison to those who do not.
Heterosexual privilege: The advantages that heterosexual individuals experience in society due to their sexual orientation.
Able-bodied privilege: The benefits enjoyed by those who do not have disabilities or health impairments, such as easy access to public places, less need to make accommodations, and less discrimination.
White privilege: The advantages and benefits that come with being white in a society that values whiteness and white culture.
Economic privilege: The advantages experienced by those who have financial stability and access to resources that enable them to meet their basic needs and achieve their goals.
Education privilege: The advantages and opportunities afforded to individuals who have access to high-quality education and are able to pursue higher education.
Male privilege: The benefits afforded to men, such as greater earning power, leadership positions, and access to resources, compared to women or individuals with non-binary gender identities.
Intersectionality: Referring to the interconnected and multi-dimensional nature of privilege and oppression, acknowledging that individuals experience various forms of privilege or marginalization simultaneously.
Social justice: The principles of equity, fairness, and human rights that seek to reduce inequality and address social and political injustices.
Allyship: The active and intentional support of marginalized individuals and communities, by those who hold privilege and power.
Colonialism: The policies and practices used by colonial powers to acquire and maintain control over other territories and peoples, often creating structural inequalities and perpetuating forms of oppression.
Decolonization: The process of dismantling the structures and systems of colonialism and addressing the legacies of colonization.
Systemic oppression: The ways in which societal structures and systems, such as politics, economics, education, and the law, perpetuate and reinforce forms of oppression.
Microaggressions: Subtle, often unintentional forms of discrimination or marginalization that are communicated through language or behavior.
Privilege-checking: Acknowledging and confronting one's own privilege, and seeking to understand and address its impact on others.
Empowerment: The process of enabling individuals and communities to claim their rights and take action to improve their lives and achieve greater equality.
Human rights: The fundamental rights and freedoms that are inherent to all human beings, irrespective of their nationality, race, gender, or any other status.
Social work practice: The ethical and professional principles and techniques that support individuals, families, and communities in addressing social, economic, and political issues, and achieving greater social justice and human rights.
White Privilege: A set of unearned advantages and benefits that come with being identified as white, regardless of socioeconomic status, education, or achievements.
Male Privilege: The advantages and benefits that come with being male, regardless of other factors such as socioeconomic status, education, or achievements.
Heterosexual Privilege: The unearned benefits and advantages that come with being heterosexual, such as the ability to get married and have children without legal barriers, the ability to openly show affection in public without fear of discrimination, and the ability to find romantic partners without experiencing discrimination.
Cisgender Privilege: The advantages and benefits that come with identifying as the gender assigned at birth, such as using public restrooms without fear of harassment or violence, finding products and services catered to their gender, and receiving equal treatment in healthcare.
Able-bodied Privilege: The advantages and benefits that come with being able-bodied, such as access to public transportation, buildings, and spaces, being seen as fully capable and independent, and not facing barriers to employment or education due to physical limitations.
Economic Privilege: The advantages and benefits that come with having wealth, such as access to quality education, healthcare, and housing, greater social mobility and opportunities, and the ability to buy and consume goods and services.
Education Privilege: The advantages and benefits that come with having access to quality education, such as greater opportunities for employment, higher salaries, and greater social mobility.
Age Privilege: The advantages and benefits that come with being a certain age, such as access to employment, healthcare, and social services.
Religious Privilege: The benefits and advantages that come with belonging to the dominant or majority religion in a region, such as having greater access to religious institutions, being exempt from certain laws or regulations, and having one’s beliefs respected and validated in public spaces.
Thin Privilege: The advantages and benefits that come with being thin or fitting into societal beauty standards. Examples include being able to find clothing in standard sizes, accessing more job opportunities, and not experiencing weight-related discrimination.
- "Privileged groups can be advantaged based on social class, wealth, education, caste, age, height, skin color, physical fitness, nationality, geographic location, cultural differences, ethnic or racial category, gender, gender identity, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, physical disability, religion, and other differentiating factors."
- "Individuals can be privileged in one area, such as education, and not privileged in another area, such as health."
- "The amount of privilege any individual has may change over time, such as when a person becomes disabled, or when a child becomes a young adult."
- "The concept of privilege is generally considered to be a theoretical concept used in a variety of subjects and often linked to social inequality."
- "It began as an academic concept but has since been invoked more widely, outside of academia."
- "Privilege is also linked to social and cultural forms of power."
- "This subject is based on the interactions of different forms of privilege within certain situations."
- "Furthermore, it must be understood as the inverse of social inequality, in that it focuses on how power structures in society aid societally privileged people, as opposed to how those structures oppress others."
- "Privilege is a theory of special advantage or entitlement that benefits individuals belonging to certain groups, often to the detriment of others."
- "Privileged groups can be advantaged based on... ethnic or racial category."
- "It focuses on how power structures in society aid societally privileged people."
- "Privileged groups can be advantaged based on... gender, gender identity..."
- "Privileged groups can be advantaged based on... geographic location..."
- "Privileged groups can be advantaged based on... religion..."
- "Privileged groups can be advantaged based on... physical fitness..."
- "The amount of privilege any individual has may change over time, such as when a person becomes disabled..."
- "Individuals can be privileged in one area, such as education..."
- "Privileged groups can be advantaged based on... cultural differences..."
- "Privileged groups can be advantaged based on... age..."