Privileged

I first became aware of “class” differences as a young child. I remember going upstairs in a department store where, at the top were two water fountains, one said “colored” and one said “white”. Being young, I remembered initial confusion. My reference to “colored” was “color” crayons. Like my three year old son once said, "Mom, they're brown not black". Another early reference to privilege was, as a Navy dependent, seeing restrooms for “officer” and “enlisted”. I was the officer’s daughter in a white, male, anthorian institution with better Officer's pool, clubs and activities.

I liked Peggy McIntosh’s article on “privileged” and found myself checking off more that ¾ of the 46 statements she listed. It’s always a very uncomfortable feeling. In my embarrassment and with just enough of a “rebel” in me, I have frequently crossed over many invisible boundaries; only a few have excluded me because of my "privilved" status. I am fortunate.

Music is a binding force for the joys and sorrows of all humanity. Before graduate school, I belonged to an a capella women’s choir. We sang social-political songs from around the world in many different languages. Most songs are about injustices and strengths of women and children here and around the world. For me, singing with this group was my spiritual church. If I could design a church, I would use mostly music and sing with heart round themes of empowerment and injustice.

McIntosh’s article also reminded me of my travels as a “privileged” U.S. citizen. Again, I use my embarrassment of “privilege” to avoid “tourist” destinations, gravitating toward the “low budget” route which, besides, is much more interesting and satisfying. I’ll take a family homestay any day to hotels, especially global hotels of Western corporations. My one and only “western” stay, paradoxically, was in the Playboy Club hotel in Ankara, Turkey! Their laws at the time that wouldn’t let me stay anywhere else! That's a questionable "privilege". Still, to engage comfortably with locals, I use my awareness of my privilege status, along with a love of adventure, curiosity, and hunger to engage with people. The stories I have are many.

Rather than utilitarianism, I think Kant has a better grip on “classism”. Our measure of humanity is best measured by how we treat the less privileged, less fortunate, less able, less whatever... The more "lives thrown away”, the lower we fall in the ranks of humanity. Jane