General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: If you are the member of a privileged group AND call yourself progressive [View all]KitSileya
(4,035 posts)You've summed up what the OP wants to get rid of very well. Your recounting your exerience is of equal (if not of lesser) value to the discussion of your experience as my opinion of your experience.
I know, for example, that I am extremely privileged, being born in the right time, in the right place, with the "right" skin color, and being able-bodied, but still, I do know that had I been born with the "right" gender, there are hurdles I wouldn't have had to cross. I know that very well, as I have a twin brother, so I've seen the privileges afforded to him that I didn't get, and he is very well aware of the privilege I have of being able-bodied, as he is not (he has a not-very-noticeable-by-strangers disability, so he can "pass" for able-bodied in general situations.) That means that I would never presume to think that I have anything beyond academic knowledge of experiencing racism in the US - because I am white, and most of my time in the US is spent in Oregon, which is very white indeed. I can talk about experiencing sexism, tho', and probably have a better idea about that than most men.