Privilege

Breakroom Exercise

Privilege - A right, immunity, certain social advantages, benefits, or degrees of prestige and respect enjoyed by a particular person or group of people beyond the advantages available to others.

Examples:

Religious Privilege: Being able to find a place of worship near you, automatically having a day off from work for your religious holidays, or not experiencing harassment because your religion isn’t associated with terrorism.

Heterosexual Privilege: Never having to worry about “coming out”, typically seeing your romantic and family aspirations represented in films, music, everyday conversations, and even Valentine’s Day cards.

Instructions:

• On a sheet of paper draw a line down the middle.

• On the left side list the ways you or others don’t experience privilege in regard to race, gender, sexuality, religion, socio-economic status, age, physical and cognitive abilities, appearance, etc.

• On the right side list the privileges you and others do have.

• As you’re discussing the privileges within your group, share how having or not having privileges makes you feel and impacts your life.