Privilege. A nine-letter word that dictates whether you are an “underdog” within society or an individual who starts further up on the ladder of success. By definition, privilege is a special advantage or right possessed by an individual or group. The issue of privilege comes from its counterpart, the disadvantaged. To be disadvantaged within society is to have a particular trait or characteristic as part of one’s identity that restricts one from accessing certain advantages. However, privilege has been given a negative connotation due to the possession of structural advantages that other social groups may not have, to the extent that  being considered privileged means to not face discrimination or prejudice.

This view is most commonly known as the “deep story,” which claims that “allegedly disadvantaged groups have more privilege than straight white men do.” This perspective of privilege being a burden is the result of not being marginalized. A disadvantaged group attains the label of being disadvantaged or restricted because they belong to a specific social group. It is not clear to individuals who are part of more privileged social groups (e.g. being heteronormative; white; male) that they immediately assume an inherent advantage as a result of being part of that social group. This is a result of key systems (mainly social, political, and economic) that were tailored to white and heteronormative men. For example, a study by Northwestern University in 2020 found that White candidates were 53% more likely to get a callback than comparable minority candidates and were “145% more likely to get a job offer compared to non-white candidates.” Humans tend to focus on the consequences or the obstacles that arise rather than the lack thereof. For example, while many marginalized groups in the United States face stigmatization, their residence in the United States gives them more privilege and power than being in other countries would. The United States, as a developed nation, offers its citizens certain social and political advantages that are often unavailable or limited in developing countries. For instance, it provides welfare programs to support those living in poverty, guarantees freedom of speech, and enjoys a comparatively peaceful environment free from active conflict. It is only when comparison comes into play that the discussion of privilege becomes visible to those who may possess it. Those who support the concept of deep story believe that marginalized groups are gaining greater advantages than those who are more privileged because they believe themselves to be in the minority. However, these advantages are mistakenly labeled as newfound privilege for being part of a disadvantaged social group when in reality, it is simply compensation for being historically dismissed or disregarded. 

The common belief behind supporters of deep story is that things in life ought to be “equal” and consequently, all people should be regarded and treated equally. However, this assumption cannot be made that society is inherently equal if there is a clear disparity in the limited accessibility marginalized groups possess. Higher education, for example, has become increasingly unaffordable for those with low incomes due to its cost. While families from middle-class and upper-class origins can pay tuition without experiencing severe financial struggles, people from underprivileged backgrounds are compelled to rely on grants, scholarships, or predatory loans. However, deep story’s most fatal flaw is its refusal to acknowledge the reason for the compensation provided to marginalized groups. They regard any and all benefits as overcompensation because they believe that the presence of special recognition or commemoration means that they must be privileged. The idea of “equal-ness” cannot exist until the structural barriers created to benefit the privileged are completely deconstructed. However, this deconstruction is almost completely impossible to attain without the prerequisite of compensating the “advantages” (read: accessibility to certain rights) that were denied to begin with. 

This theme is recurring within the status quo. Public figures who can be considered privileged use the excuse of possessing a mental health condition that impairs them from acting in the “right” way. Obviously, some of these celebrities and influencers may possess mental illnesses, which could be a possible inhibitor to behavior, but this is not necessarily always the case. According to Psychology Today, there is an increase in inappropriate misuse of “mental health” as a catch-all excuse for harmful behaviors or moods. For example, Ethan Crumbley and Audrey Hale were mass shooters who took the lives of innocent individuals who claimed to possess an emotional disorder that caused their behavior. The issue with this claim is that it accomplishes two things:

1. It acts as an excuse.
2. It villainizes mental illness.

Individuals who possess mental health conditions have faced prejudice and discrimination since the beginning of history, from viewing mental illness as divine punishment to being viewed as “abnormal or undesirable.” This stigmatization has only begun to improve, and using poor mental health as an excuse for bad behavior further perpetuates negative attitudes and assumptions of the community as a whole. Mental health can be an explanation for why a person has acted or behaved a certain way, but it is not an excuse to justify their actions.
Circling back to the concept of privilege, there is no ultimate privileged person. There is no Jack-of-All Privilege. A person may be privileged because of a certain aspect of their identity but may be considered marginalized by being part of a more “disadvantaged group.” For example, an individual could be a low-income minority but privileged if they live in a first-world country. Each individual possesses different aspects of their identity that result in varying different social groups that face their own unique issues. This concept is associated with the term intersectionality, coined by civil rights activist and law professor Kimberlé Crenshaw. A person can be privileged due to their sex or race but marginalized due to their class. Regardless, no one lives life without struggles. A privileged person can face similar obstacles to marginalized groups but the differences lie in the origin of their obstacles. A privileged individual’s obstacles will never be the same as their disadvantaged counterparts because it is not the result of structural or systemic exclusion. Privilege should never be viewed as a sense of condemnation or as a reason why others should condemn them. Privileged individuals benefit from societal advantages simply because they live in a society that is built for the social groups they are a part of.  However, those with privilege can change the negative perspective of privilege by using the inherent advantages they are given to help reform the social norms that create privilege to begin with. Leverage your privilege to make a difference. Donate to charities, volunteer your time, or use your voice to advocate for marginalized communities often overlooked and silenced. To create a more equitable society, we must confront our own privilege and work towards dismantling the systems that perpetuate inequality.