Challenging silence on Systemic Privilege.

Removing silences about Systemic Privilege may open gates to change. But, there is no 10-step program, no nice manual.

Change often occurs one murky step after another.

Many folks complain that words like: systemic racism, sexism, privilege, are "divisive" "polarizing".

Yet, when groups, or structures, exclude or discriminate against those not part of the norm (the 'Others')- there are few complaints of polarizing divisiveness.

Sociologist Allan G. Johnson argued that what is divisive, is suggesting divisions in society are 'human nature' and status-quo is normal and unremarkable. So is inaction.

He called this "the luxury of obliviousness": having privilege (such as my own identity- White, Male, able-bodied, heterosexual) and not being aware of how that privilege is held in place by structures (see diagram).

Add: systems of privilege look to render privilege invisible.

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Example from something I posted this week.

In Canadian post-secondary, stats suggest that for every $1.00 a male Univ. professor makes, a woman prof earns $0.90

For 'visible minorities' this drops to $0.60 to $0.85 to the white male $1.00

This highlights discrimination.

White male Univ. prof are the norm; the benchmark. (maybe not purposely, maybe obliviously?)

What happens when framed differently?

A White Male university prof, on average, makes $1.10 to a White Female prof $1.

And, $1.15 to $1.40 to a non-visible minority prof. $1.

This exposes privilege.

How does this privilege happen?

Structures and systems built up and held in place by Others and one's Self (an invisible social glue).

What if white male professors, who are the majority, all got together and said "no more inequities"? Or, "No more privileged pay scales... Take part of our pay and balance with others."

Volunteers?

The result: status quo sticks.

And platitudes prevail: "change doesn't happen overnight" and "it's complex". Some invisible black box...

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Johnson argued that we can't stop using words like racism, sexism, and privilege, because some people, generally privileged, feel uncomfortable.

Dialogue, training, and talking about what's going on builds awareness and analysis of how structures and systems hold inequities, discrimination and privilege in place.

However, most do not educate and train on how to be in it, and navigate the emotions; paradox.

Privilege is produced and held-in place by systems and structures, not individuals. And, thus, changing it is not just a matter of changing people (e.g. education and training).

There must also be tools to navigate, through and within change. It's messy and paradoxical.

Having privilege does not make someone a bad person. There is no reason to feel guilt, as it was systems and structures that bestowed it.

And hold it in place with invisible social glue.

But, silence and inaction strengthens the glue. Respectful and sometimes difficult dialogue weakens the glue.

More tools; less theories?