Are you privileged? ADAPT your privileges to become an ally, HR News, ETHRWorld

Privilege is defined as a “special right or immunity granted or available to a particular group of person or group of people”. Simply put, a person can be considered privileged when some aspect of their life is accepted by the world without scrutiny or suspicion. Ironically, benefits that would be so hard to come by for so many could be totally taken for granted by the privileged; indeed, they may not even be aware of these benefits they enjoy.

Even though the answer to the question “Are you privileged?” could be a ‘yes’, the degree would differ for different people. Many people shy away from any discussion about their privileges. But it is essential to understand that privilege is often a mere matter of fact — one does not have to feel guilty if they are privileged in some aspects of their life.

The reason why the conversation on privilege becomes uncomfortable for many is because of the fear that it may undermine one’s efforts — one’s success would be attributed to external factors and not to self. However, the privilege does not mean that you did not work hard or that you achieved success without any struggles or efforts. There is no such thing as automatic success. It simply means that you may be enjoying certain benefits because of membership to certain demographic majority groups based on gender, ability, socioeconomic…