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Tag: Privilege

“Privilege” Mostly Isn’t, It Is What Everyone Should Have

This is hilarious:

Rather than increasing the pay of female staff the BBC has decided to slash the salaries of the top male earners, in a belated attempt to tackle the broadcaster’s gender pay gap crisis…

…It is understood that under new plans being rolled out to fight off the gender pay row the that has recently dogged the broadcaster, the BBC’s male stars will see their six-figure salaries slashed by up to 30 percent.

There are a few problems with the use of the word “privilege.” The main one is that much of what is called “privilege” isn’t actually “privilege,” it’s actually what everyone should have.

Let’s make a comparison: In the US, it is often noted that a black or brown person is far more likely to be killed than a white; the police go far out of their way not to kill whites in comparison.

But that doesn’t mean that the police should treat everyone like they do African-Americans, say, it means they should treat everyone like they do whites.

As for the pay gap, the idea is that everyone should earn what white males do for the same work, not that white males should earn less. (Well, I don’t actually care how much rich, white, male presenters make, but…in the general sense.)

Most of what white males have is what everyone should have because white males are generally treated better, even well, and that’s how we should treat everyone.

It isn’t a privilege to not be shot out-of-hand by cops, or to earn the same (good) pay for the same work, it’s decent and fair.


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Why is Privilege the wrong word?

The lesson is not that white men should be treated like African Americans or women, but that they should be treated like white men.

Privilege is the wrong word, the wrong framework because what white males have is what everyone should have.


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