This entry was published at least two years ago (originally posted on July 3, 2013). Since that time the information may have become outdated or my beliefs may have changed (in general, assume a more open and liberal current viewpoint). A fuller disclaimer is available.
A list that rumbled its way through my head today at lunch: I am a…
- 40 year old (neither particularly old nor young)
- middle-class (not rich, but by no means poor)
- employed
- cisgender
- straight
- white
- male
- married
- homeowner
- in good physical and mental health.
That’s a whole lot of privilege all piled up. And I’m sure that doesn’t cover all of it.
I have friends and acquaintances (and there are millions of others just here in the United States whom I’ve never met) who don’t fit into one, a few, or all of those categories. They have every right to live their lives just as comfortably and without fear of repression, censure, or attack as I do. But for far too many of them, that’s just not possible.
And that’s why, more and more, I’ve been finding it incredibly important to pay attention to issues like equality, sexism, racism, ageism, and whatever other -isms we all come across, directly or indirectly, in our day-to-day lives.
Hmm, I don’t know, but are you straight? If so, you forgot to include that :P
I honestly thought I had that in there. It’s added now!
(Somewhere around 87-94% straight, I’d say. Straight enough not to think of myself as “bi”, though “heteroflexible” might work. ;) )