Today, the United States observes Juneteenth, and Tuesday is National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada. These days provide an opportunity to reflect on the history of our two nations and the horrific treatment of Black and Indigenous people, so it feels appropriate to make owning our privilege this week’s Simple Living Sunday focus.

Juneteenth marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to ensure all enslaved people were freed. It marks the end of slavery in the United States. It became an official holiday in the United States in 2021.  

National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada is celebrated on June 21, the summer solstice. It’s a day set aside to learn about the history, culture and experiences of our Indigenous peoples.

The more privilege you have, the more opportunity you have. The more opportunity you have, the more responsibility you have.

Noam Chmosky

Three simple pleasures and highlights

Continuing my practice of celebrating the simple things in life, here are three simple pleasures and highlights of the last week.

• For some reason, there are fewer ducks in our area this year, but on Saturday, we finally saw some ducklings during our walks. There are still no ducklings on our local pond, which is really unusual. I hope they come back soon.
• On Sunday, when my daughter Colleen and I were at the dollar store, a lady gave us each a fresh daisy. It really made us smile and was a great example of a simple thing that can brighten someone’s day.

• On Wednesday, I went out for a wonderful early birthday dinner with three good friends. It was a scorching hot day so we enjoyed some refreshing drinks and great conversation on the patio.

This week’s simple living focus: Owning our privilege

As part of the conversation around diversity, equity and inclusion, we often hear the word privilege. But what is privilege and how do we recognize it?

For a long time, I associated privilege with wealth. I’ve since learned that privilege isn’t about being born into a life of luxury. It also has nothing to do with how hard you’ve worked or how many challenges you’ve faced in life.

A couple of weeks ago, I attended an excellent workshop called Allyship at Work. At the workshop, I learned a lot about privilege. More importantly, I learned to recognize my own areas of privilege. Recognizing and owning our privilege is an important first step to being an ally.

Privilege is least apparent to those who have it.

Clarence Page

The workshop defined privilege as “The unearned advantage we get from being part of a dominant group whose needs have traditionally been prioritized.” Living in Canada as a white, cisgender, heterosexual, non-disabled Christian, I enjoy plenty of privilege.

Something interesting about privilege is you can be privileged in some areas, but marginalized in others. Despite all the areas where I enjoy privilege, there are three areas where I don’t: I’m a woman, I’m over 55 years of age, and I didn’t go to university right after high school.  

Recognizing and owning our privilege is a critical first step to becoming an ally to marginalized groups—both in the workplace and in our society. So how can we take steps in that direction?

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Three things to do this week

Identify areas where you are privileged

Take some time this to identify and reflect on areas where you are privileged. Remember, it’s an advantage you didn’t earn. For example, if you live in North America and belong to any of these groups, you are privileged:

• Male
• White
• Heterosexual
• Cisgender (meaning you identify as the sex assigned at birth)
• Christian
• Non-disabled
• University/college educated (especially if your parents paid for your education)

Reflect on advantages you’ve experienced because of your privilege

Now that you’ve identified your areas of privilege, it’s time to own it. Take some time to think about the advantages you’ve experienced because of your privilege. Some simple examples:

• Do you confidently apply for jobs without fear of discrimination?
• When you attend a professional or social gathering, are there other people of your race there?
• Can you automatically accept an invitation without fears about the accessibility or safety of the location?
• Do you get time off work to observe your religious holidays?
• Are you confident you’ll find a washroom suitable to your gender when you’re in a public place? 
• Do people always use the correct pronouns when referring to you?
• Are you comfortable speaking freely about your spouse or partner without having to hide their gender?

Now, imagine how you’d feel if you needed to answer no to any of these questions.

Being able to live without having to be defined by your skin color is the hallmark of privilege.

Luvvie Ajayi

Learn about the experiences of marginalized groups

The best way to understand how lack of privilege affects marginalized groups is to learn about their experience. Here are some websites to visit to learn more:

• The Micropedia of Microagressions
• Orange Shirt Day – The Truth Is Not Yet Fully Told
• National Indigenous History Month
• GLAAD.org

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I hope we’ll see the day where we are all just human, without fear of discrimination or prejudice. Until then, we can take steps in the right direction by owning our privilege and being allies for others.

Have you ever thought about the areas where you enjoy privilege? Tell me your thoughts below.