Why is it so hard to admit our privilege and biases?
Why is it so hard to admit our privilege and biases?
Nobody enjoys being called out for doing or saying something problematic. But in the absence of having wrong behavior brought to our attention, why is it so difficult to consider the ways we’ve received advantages or participated in systems that limit opportunities for others?
I recently read several great articles on these topics, and what they all point out in different ways is that at the root of the issue is fear.
Chris Boeskool published a 2016 Huffpost article, “When You’re Accustomed to Privilege, Equality Feels Like Oppression” that sums up the fear of losing what we’re accustomed to.
On the flip side, what is there to gain by admitting advantages – or lack of disadvantages – that we’ve experienced in our jobs, in our access to housing, and in our daily activities like shopping or exercising?
We might gain a new perspective and empathy for the ways that people can have different experiences than us. It might lead us to examine the way we treat coworkers, customers, or people we pass in the grocery store. Maybe, even if we think we’re already doing fine, it will lead us to do better.
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou
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