Male Privilege

“Male privilege” is a term that is often thrown around with little thought to what it is referring or what it really means.  The term refers to white middle-upper class heterosexual males who have traditionally (before equal rights movements began) ruled and owned society, and, to an extent, this is still true today.  Life for men who match this cisgender identity tend to find that their life is easier compared to the working classes, ethnic minorities or those with a transsexual identity.  Yet when men within the boundaries for male privilege are confronted with the terminology, they become defensive, confrontational and do everything in their power to prove that they do not have an easier life than anyone else.  They will play around with the word “privilege”, haul out the dictionaries and question the meaning of the word and whether it can truly be applied to this narrow view of the male gender.  They seem to hold the misconception that discussing prejudice which has stemmed from their group is in fact another form of prejudice and it cannot be justified. 

But the use of the phrase “male privilege” is perfectly justifiable.  On many social networking platforms, the media, literature, and so forth, the default setting for humanity is as a white male.  Being white, straight, male and cisgendered is somewhat like playing a videogame on the easiest level (see John Scalzi’s post on this idea).  You could be the nicest guy out there; polite, unassuming, hardworking *insert a dozen other positive adjectives*, yet the system will still favour you.  Many people who are otherwise decent people will be duped and persuaded into supporting an oppressive system because life is easier that way.  It’s less hassle. 

Surely the appropriate response to someone commenting on the unfair nature of such a system would be to listen intently, rather than fighting back, kicking, shouting and screaming?  But this is not the case.  Those of us discussing the oppressive hierarchical structure of society are not blaming you as an individual.  Conversing about male privilege is never about guilt or blame.  We acknowledge that it is not your fault.  Yet you are a part of the system whether you like it or not.  And if you agree with the need for change in society, you could be a positive part of that change.  It is about taking the space you, as a white middle class heterosexual male, have and making changes that influence your colleagues and bosses.  You, as a human being first and foremost, have a responsibility to make a difference for the improvement of society and our culture.  We are not judging your involvement in this structure, but that does not mean we are not asking you to change your behaviour. 

Women, ethnic minorities, working classes, transsexual and transgendered individuals tend to find life harder than those who experience male privilege.  Exploitation, oppression, scapegoating, misdirected rage, harassment, and abuse are amongst some of the things these groups experience on a regular basis.  Women and gender non-conforming people are systematically disadvantaged.  Those within the parameters of male privilege rarely experience these things themselves (although, of course, some do).

This is what is meant by male privilege.  It’s the ability of this group, usually unintentionally, to manipulate society for their personal betterment over other people.  Anger might well be the expected response to discovering that that you’re implicated in a system that oppresses and exploits individuals whom are not part of your group, but the solution isn’t to direct that anger back at the oppressed.  You, as an individual man, did not ask to be born into this superior status.  You did not ask to be born into a societal system whereby being male allows you social, economic and sexual advantages over other groups.  But these other groups did not ask to be born into a world where they were oppressed and exploited for (monetary) gain over the betterment of society as a whole.

Those in a position of experiencing male privilege can choose to challenge the structural discrimination in society.  You can choose to question the inherent sexism and racism in societal institutions.  You can challenge misogyny, assault and racism wherever you see it.  You can take risks to support your fellow peers to create a fairer society.  You can make good use of your male privilege and redefine the negative connotations for the better.  It should not be the struggle of individual persecuted minorities to deconstruct the nature of society.  It’s not a feminist or trans issue.  It is a humanitarian issue and it needs to be taken seriously so that we can transform this socially constructed and hierarchical ideology.