Thoughts on privilege and intersectionality

One of the things that I fear about my (physical) transition from female to male are the male privileges are the male privileges. I dont want to believe that people are gonna treat me differently (and in many ways better) when they see me as male (and nothing but male). I know Im wrong though. The chances that people will think I did a better job than a woman even if I did the same task as her are big. I will probably get jobs because of my skills and not because of my looks. If I choose to have children, no one will see me as egocentric if I choose to work instead of being  a stay-at-home  dad.

What I usually dont think of is that Im privileged because of other things. Im white, able-bodied, middle class and I live in one of the richest countries in the world (if money = riches). I think that many people talk about intersectionality and privileges, but forget to analyze their own situation. Like the radical feminists in the 70s who forgot to see that they, as white and middle class, had privileges that black worker class women didnt. Most people wont talk about their privileges, especially not people who, for some reason,  are oppressed because of something (like an able-bodied white gay man who’s oppressed because he’s gay but also privileged because he’s able-bodied, male and white).

I want to learn more about intersectionality and privileges, but now Im off to bed!

Read more about male privilege here and while writing this entry I found a blog titled White Privilege – treason to whiteness is loyalty to humanity (might be interesting!)