Power & Privilege Exercise

Created and shared to you by the Gay Straight Alliance Club of 2022's Hammerskjold Highschool.

Presented this workshop at the 2022 Thunder Pride Breakfast

Definition

Privilege is a right or exemption from liability or duty granted as a special benefit or advantage. Oppression is the result of the use of institutional privilege and power, wherein one person or group benefits at the expense of another.

Objective

The objective of this activity is to confront entrenched systems of power and privilege, and identify common situations when privilege is not acknowledged, to the detriment of the disadvantaged and oppressed.

Each participant answer the questions at each of the seven sections and if the answer is yes put a bead on a string.

At the end, each person has a necklace that reveals to themselves the power and privilege they do or do not hold. We will lead a discussion following the exercise.

This was originally adapted from: https://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/mcintosh.pdf

The work is not about blame, shame, guilt, or whether one is a "nice person." It's about observing, realizing, thinking systemically and personally. It is about seeing privilege, the "up-side" of oppression and discrimination. It is about unearned advantage, which can also be described as exemption from discrimination.

A sign of growth is moments of being uncomfortable. We encourage you to lean into any discomfort. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said:

“The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stands in moments of comfort, but where they stand at times of challenge and controversy.”

Sexuality Privilege

I can move about in public without fear of being harassed or physically attacked because of my sexuality.

I do not have to fear that if my family or friends find out about my sexual orientation there will be economic

If I want to, I can easily find a religious community that will not exclude me for my sexuality.

No one questions the “normality” of my sexuality or believes my sexuality was “caused” by psychological trauma

People don't ask why I “chose” my sexual orientation.

I can go for months without me or anyone else referring explicitly to my sexuality.

I can easily find sex education literature for couples with my sexual orientation.

Religious Privilege

I can assume that I will not have to work or go to school on my religious holidays.

I can be sure to hear music on the radio and watch specials on television that celebrate the holidays of my religion.

My religious views are reflected by the majority of government officials and political candidates.

Food that honours my religious practices can be easily found in any restaurant or grocery store.

Places to worship or practice my religion are numerous in my community.

Most people do not consider my religious practices to be “weird.”

I see references to my religion during my daily life that align with my religious beliefs.

I do not need to worry about the ramifications of disclosing my religious identity to others.

Racial Privilege

I can look at the mainstream media and find people of my race represented fairly and in a wide range of roles.

Schools in my community teach about my race and heritage and present it in positive ways throughout the year.

I can go shopping alone most of the time

I can take a job with an employer who believes in Employment Equity without people thinking I got my job only because of my race.

When I use credit cards or cheques for a face-to-face transaction

I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race.

I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.

I can consider many options -- socialpolitical, or professional -- without asking whether a person of my race would be accepted or allowed to do what I want to do

Gender/Sex Privilege

If I have children and a successful career, few people will ask me how I balance my professional and private lives.

My elected representatives are mostly people of my sex. The more prestigious and powerful the elected position

When I ask to see “the person in charge” odds are I will face a person of my sex. The higher-up in the organization the person is, the surer I can be.

I do not have to think about the message my wardrobe sends about my sexual availability.

In general I am not under much pressure to be thin or to worry about how people will respond to me if I’m overweight.

I will never be/was never expected to change my name upon marriage or questioned if I don’t change my name.

Most individuals portrayed as sexual objects in the media are not the same sex as I am.

Major religions in the world are led mainly by people of my sex.

Add up all your checkmarks: the higher your number the more privileged you are.

Discussion

What did this exercise tell you about you?
Did you discover anything new about yourself?
How are you feeling?

What is privilege? We all have privileges. What are yours? Were you surprised by any of the privileges you found in your invisible knapsack?

Your Score is
out of 55

Download this Excercise here

Power & Privilege Exercise

Add up all your checkmarks: the higher your number the more privileged you are.

Your Score is
out of 55

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Power & Privilege Exercise

Add up all your checkmarks: the higher your number the more privileged you are.

Your Score is out of 55

Resources

About

Events

Reach Out

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Your Score is
out of 55