How Many Types of Privilege Are There?

• In sociology, privilege is the array of unearned benefits or advantages bestowed on individuals due to their membership in a social group.
• Because of the multiple and varied ways privileges (or lack thereof) intersect, there are arguably as many forms of privilege as there are people in the world–over 8 billion!
• Nevertheless, for the sake of practicality, we can identify about 50 (!) major types of privilege that account for a lot of the inequalities in society today.

Introduction

“Privilege” is one of sociology’s concepts that has entered the public discourse. As a result, it is one about which there are a lot of myths and unfounded claims. In this post, we’ll dispel those myths and give you a primer on what “privilege” really refers to.

Read on to learn more about how many types of privilege there are, how privilege operates (often in invisible ways), and more.

Background

Long before privilege became the buzzword it has become today, it was apparent that society favored certain groups over others. So too was it apparent that belonging to these groups conferred benefits upon individuals. Early in the twentieth century, scholars like W.E.B. DuBois (race), Simone de Beauvoir (gender), and Karl Marx and Max Weber (class) were writing about the many subtle, often invisible advantages belonging to these favored groups conferred.

But the concept of privilege really exploded in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with three female scholars largely simultaneously taking up the concept and developing it into what we know and understand privilege to be today:

• Peggy McIntosh is often credited with popularizing the concept of privilege through her 1989 essay “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” In this work, McIntosh describes white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets that white people can count on each day, but about which they are meant to remain oblivious. She lists everyday examples of white privilege to illustrate how it operates as a hidden and normalized advantage in society. (For example, “I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.”) McIntosh’s work was groundbreaking in that it shifted the focus from examining the disadvantages experienced by marginalized groups to exploring the unearned advantages held by dominant groups.
• Kimberlé Crenshaw, a legal scholar and critical race theorist, introduced the concept of intersectionality in the late 1980s and early 1990s. While not explicitly about privilege, her work is crucial to the conversation because it highlights how different forms of privilege and oppression intersect. Crenshaw’s intersectionality theory posits that individuals experience overlapping systems of discrimination based on race, gender, class, sexuality, and other social categories. This framework has been instrumental in understanding how privilege operates differently depending on the intersecting social identities of individuals.
• Patricia Hill Collins, a sociologist and social theorist, further expanded the understanding of privilege through her work on Black feminist thought and intersectionality. In her book Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment, Collins explores how race, gender, and class intersect to shape the experiences of Black women. She introduces the concept of the “matrix of domination” to describe how these intersecting oppressions create a social structure that privileges some groups while disadvantaging others.

We can summarize the concept of privilege by saying it is all of the following:

1. Invisible: Privilege is often invisible to those who possess it, making it difficult for them to recognize their own advantages.
2. Unearned: Privilege is typically unearned and granted to individuals based on their social group membership, such as race, gender, or class.
3. Normalized: Privileged statuses are considered the norm or default in society, leading to the marginalization of other identities.
4. Systemic: Privilege is embedded in social systems and institutions, perpetuating inequalities through policies, practices, and cultural norms.
5. Intersectional: Privilege intersects with other social identities, meaning that individuals can experience privilege in some areas of their lives while facing oppression in others.
6. Cultural: Privilege is shaped by cultural beliefs and values that prioritize certain groups over others.
7. Relational: Privilege is defined in relation to disadvantage, as it exists in contrast to the experiences of marginalized groups.
8. Dynamic: Privilege can change over time and across different contexts, influenced by social movements, policies, and changing cultural attitudes.
9. Cumulative: Privilege can accumulate over time, leading to compounding advantages for certain groups.

So, How Many Types of Privilege Are There?

I came up with 43, which I’ve listed below in a semi-intuitive order. (Not in order of importance!) Given that I’m likely to have forgotten some, let’s say for the sake of argument that there are about 50 major forms of privilege, which collectively account for many of the inequalities we find in society today:

1. White Privilege: The advantages that white people experience in societies where they are the racial majority or hold systemic power.
2. Skin Color Privilege: The benefits experienced by individuals with lighter skin tones, particularly in societies where colorism is prevalent, and lighter skin is associated with beauty, social status, or economic advantage.
3. Male Privilege: The benefits and advantages that men experience in a patriarchal society, often at the expense of women and non-binary individuals.
4. Cisgender Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth, as opposed to transgender or non-binary individuals.
5. Pronoun Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals whose pronouns are widely recognized and respected, without the need for explanation or justification.
6. Heterosexual Privilege: The benefits and social acceptance experienced by individuals who are attracted to the another sex, as opposed to LGBTQ+ individuals.
7. Marital Privilege: The social and legal advantages experienced by married individuals, especially in contexts where marriage is highly valued.
8. Sexual Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals who conform to societal norms regarding sexuality and sexual behavior.
9. Reproductive Rights Privilege: The benefits experienced by individuals who have the freedom and ability to make choices about their reproductive health without legal or social restrictions.
10. Fertility Privilege: The benefits experienced by individuals who are able to conceive and bear children without difficulty, in societies where parenthood is highly valued.
11. Childfree Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals without childrearing responsibilities, allowing them more freedom, flexibility, and often financial stability.
12. Beauty Privilege: The social advantages experienced by individuals who conform to societal standards of attractiveness.
13. Body Size Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals who conform to societal norms regarding body size and shape, particularly in terms of beauty standards and access to clothing or healthcare.
14. Able-bodied Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals who do not have physical or mental disabilities, allowing them easier access to various facilities and activities.
15. Health Privilege: The benefits experienced by individuals who are in good health, allowing them to engage in various activities without limitations.
16. Mental Health Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals who do not suffer from mental health issues, allowing them to navigate daily life without the challenges associated with mental illness.
17. Access to Healthcare Privilege: The benefits experienced by individuals who have easy access to quality healthcare services and medical treatment.
18. Energy Security Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals who have consistent access to reliable and affordable energy sources.
19. Food Security Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals who have consistent access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.
20. Access to Clean Water Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals who have consistent access to safe and clean drinking water.
21. Class Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals from higher socio-economic classes, including access to better education, healthcare, and employment opportunities.
22. Occupational Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals in certain professions that are highly respected, well-compensated, or offer greater job security.
23. Transportation Privilege: The benefits experienced by individuals who have easy access to reliable and safe transportation, facilitating mobility and access to opportunities.
24. Leisure Time Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals who have ample free time for leisure activities, relaxation, or personal development.
25. Financial Literacy Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals who have knowledge and understanding of financial matters, enabling them to make informed decisions about their finances.
26. Socioeconomic Mobility Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals who have the opportunity to improve their socioeconomic status through education, employment, or other means.
27. Educational Privilege: The benefits experienced by individuals who have access to higher education and the opportunities it provides.
28. Social Capital Privilege: The benefits experienced by individuals who have access to influential social or professional networks, facilitating opportunities for advancement.
29. Parental Privilege: The benefits experienced by individuals who have supportive and financially stable parents.
30. Cultural Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals who belong to the dominant or majority culture in a society, allowing them to navigate social norms and traditions with ease.
31. Cultural Capital Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals who possess knowledge, skills, and experiences valued by society, enhancing their social mobility and status.
32. Language Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals who speak the dominant language of a society, facilitating communication and access to information.
33. Language Accent Privilege: The benefits experienced by individuals who speak with an accent that is considered prestigious or standard in a particular society.
34. Citizenship Privilege: The benefits experienced by individuals who are citizens of a particular country, including legal rights and protections.
35. Immigration Status Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals who have legal residency or citizenship in a country, especially in contrast to undocumented immigrants.
36. Geographic Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals living in certain regions or countries with better access to resources, safety, and economic opportunities.
37. Environmental Privilege: The benefits experienced by individuals who live in areas with clean air, water, and access to nature, contributing to better health and quality of life.
38. Safety Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals who live in safe environments, free from the threat of violence, crime, or persecution.
39. Legal Privilege: The benefits experienced by individuals who have access to legal resources, representation, and protection under the law.
40. Political Privilege: The benefits experienced by individuals who have access to political power, influence, or representation.
41. Digital Privilege: The benefits experienced by individuals who have easy access to digital technology and the internet, facilitating communication, education, and access to information.
42. Technological Literacy Privilege: The benefits experienced by individuals who are proficient in using technology and navigating digital environments.
43. Age Privilege: The advantages experienced by individuals in a certain age group, often favoring the young in terms of employment and older people in terms of respect and social status.

Some random observations about these types of privilege:

• Its overlapping nature is obvious. It’s hard to tell where one form of privilege ends and another begins. Many are also nested inside the “big three” of race, gender, and class.
• So too is its intersectional nature. Each of us has our own unique constellation of group memberships, which combine and collide in innumerable ways to create our own unique social position in the world.
• So too is its invisibility. You may quibble with one or two of the above categories, but for the most part there is no doubt these are all legitimate forms of privilege. Yet how many could you have named before I pointed them out to you?
• Most are binary and unidirectional. Meaning: there are two dimensions to each category, and one is privileged while the other is not. The major exception to this is age, where youth, middle age, and old age all confer certain benefits.
• Privilege and its lack may manifest differently for different individuals. I wrote in a previous post about how I am extraordinarily privileged compared to most, yet because I have been uniquely clobbered by mental health problems (one of the few areas in which I am not privileged), I have not been able to take full advantage of many of the benefits handed to me. Many other people have similar stories. Privilege is not destiny. It’s a way to understand your social position through your group memberships, not your individual experiences.

What Can You Do?

Combating sociological privilege requires a multifaceted approach that involves individual reflection, collective action, and systemic change. Here are some ways in which people can work to combat privilege:

1. Education and Awareness: Educate yourself and others about privilege, its manifestations, and its impacts on marginalized groups. This includes reading, attending workshops, and engaging in discussions about social justice.
2. Self-Reflection: Reflect on your own privileges and consider how they might impact your interactions and perspectives. Acknowledge and examine any biases you may hold.
3. Listening to Marginalized Voices: Actively listen to the experiences and perspectives of marginalized individuals and communities. Elevate their voices and stories in conversations about social justice.
4. Allyship: Use your privilege to support and advocate for marginalized groups. This can involve speaking up against discrimination, supporting policies that promote equity, and amplifying the voices of those who are less privileged.
5. Inclusive Practices: Implement inclusive practices in your personal and professional life. This can include using inclusive language, creating diverse and equitable spaces, and challenging exclusionary behaviors.
6. Supporting Social Justice Movements: Participate in or support social justice movements that aim to dismantle systemic inequalities. This can involve attending protests, donating to organizations, or volunteering your time.
7. Challenging Institutional Policies: Advocate for changes in institutional policies and practices that perpetuate privilege and inequality. This can involve lobbying for policy changes, participating in advocacy groups, or working within institutions to promote equity.
8. Promoting Representation: Support the representation of marginalized groups in media, politics, academia, and other spheres of influence. This can involve supporting diverse creators, voting for diverse candidates, and advocating for inclusive hiring practices.
9. Fostering Empathy and Solidarity: Cultivate empathy and solidarity among different social groups. Encourage conversations that bridge divides and build understanding across different experiences of privilege and oppression.
10. Continuous Learning: Recognize that combating privilege is an ongoing process. Stay open to learning and adapting as you gain new insights and as societal contexts change.
11. Accountability: Hold yourself and others accountable for actions and behaviors that perpetuate privilege. This can involve calling out discriminatory behavior, providing constructive feedback, and taking responsibility for mistakes.
12. Supporting Economic Equity: Advocate for economic policies and practices that reduce wealth disparities and provide equitable opportunities for all. This can include supporting living wages, fair labor practices, and progressive taxation.
13. Promoting Access to Education: Support initiatives that provide equitable access to education for all, regardless of background. This can involve advocating for affordable education, supporting scholarship programs, and challenging educational disparities.
14. Encouraging Diverse Leadership: Advocate for diverse leadership in organizations and institutions. This can help ensure that decision-making processes are informed by a range of perspectives and experiences.
15. Challenging Cultural Norms: Question and challenge cultural norms and stereotypes that reinforce privilege and marginalization. This can involve critically examining media representations, cultural traditions, and social norms.

By engaging in these actions, individuals and communities can work toward a more equitable society where privilege is acknowledged and addressed, and where all individuals have the opportunity to thrive.

What about you? How are you privileged? How are you not? In what ways have these various privileges and lack thereof intersected to help you better understand your own unique experience of life? Let us know in the comments!

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