Types of Privilege

The “Christian Privilege” workshop is one of 15 “free training opportunities” offered through the center to “equip students and staff with the necessary skills to promote diversity and inclusion in the different environments,” according to its website.

Issues of gender and privilege have been a common theme in society for many years. The women's liberation movement in the 1960's and 1970's brought into focus some of the privileges that men enjoyed based on gender and how their use of power affected the lives of women.

Heterosexual privilege, or straight privilege, refers to the advantages people of heterosexual orientation may experience that those of another sexual orientation may not. The origin of heterosexual privilege in terms of categorizing human sexuality based on erotic desire is recent, beginning in the early 20th century.

2. Socio-Economic Privilege. This is a more traditional type of privilege. This privilege has to do with how much money your family has, or how it has helped or improved your life. Socio-economic privilege actually doesn't mean being super rich. It means you could afford things like going to summer camp or playing after-school sports.

But white privilege is something specific and different – it’s the idea that just by virtue of being a white person of any kind, you’re part of the dominant group which tends to be respected, assumed the best of, and given the benefit of the doubt. That just isn’t the case for people of other races, no matter how wealthy, smart or hard-working they might be.