Privileges

While I was writing my blog about transgender, I had mentioned that I was wondering what other privileges I have that I am not aware of. I proceeded to get into the topic a little too much so I decided I should just write another blog about it. One privilege that I thought about that I have but am unaware of is being right handed. The majority of people are right-handed so pretty much everything is designed around being right-handed. The first thing I thought of was the sport I play, field hockey. Field hockey sticks are designed for right-handed people and left-handed people have to use the same sticks. At least in baseball they have left-handed gloves as well but for my sport there is simply nothing left-handers can do except use the same sticks as right-handers. This is just a small example but there are so many more. I actually did a little research and read something that summed up some of these right-handed privileges that we often do not think about (unless you are left-handed of course).

In "The Right Hand of Privilege," Steven Jones, Ph.D. writes:

We shake with our right hands. We pledge with our right hand. We salute with our right hand. We take legal and governmental oaths with our right hand. School desks are set up for right-handed people. Most baseball mitts are designed for right-handed people. When computers first came out, the mouse was set up on the right-hand side. Cars are set up for right-handed people to drive comfortably. Notebooks are designed for right-handed people to write comfortably. Guns are designed for right-handers to shoot. Appliances open to the right, making it easy for right-handers to open. Punch ladles are designed for right-handed people. Most coffee mugs are designed for right-handed people to pick up and see the picture or words. If a left-handed person picks up the same mug, there is nothing there to see! I recently went into a store called the Left-handed store in San Diego, Ca. When was the last time you walked into your local Wal-Mart, Target, or departmental store and thought about the fact that you were in a right-handed store?

I am sure the list could go on for a while but he definitely makes his point. This is another privilege I have that I am going to be aware of. Of course, there really is not anything I can do because I am not in charge of designing anything. I have to wonder if left-handed people recognize that they are disadvantaged. I think that they most likely do but at the same time, men are privileged over women yet I often do not think about their privileges. This is probably because a lot of the privileges of men are things related to careers and when they are a part of a family. Some of the privileges of men that affect me now though include men having less pressure to be thin, their emotions will not be blamed on "that time of the month," grooming costs are lower, and clothes are less expensive and usually are more likely to fit properly. I had to think a while though to come up with these because it is not something that affects me, at least consciously, on a day to day basis.

So now that I have become aware of some of these disadvantages I face, am I really any better off? Maybe I was better off not knowing and living in bliss. Actually though, I think I am better off being aware because I was starting to feel bad for having so many privileges. It is no ones fault that they are born with privileges but it is good to be aware of them and considerate of those who are disadvantaged. Ideally, being aware will help us slowly even out the playing field in these different areas. Whether that is realistic though, I am not sure.