"Check your privilege," to me, is one of the most offensively prejudiced token phrases against non-minorities.

BinaryShadow · 2012-01-16T03:06:08+00:00

What's funny is that, at least with most college-attending white middle-upper class female feminists, they haven't really endured many negatives either. Maybe they should check their privileges before taking the higher ground?

ENTP · 2012-01-15T22:29:42+00:00

Scroll down a bit for a huuuuuuge (and cited) list of ways in which men are disadvantaged.

Generally after I point out the facts referenced in the list, such as men comprising 80% of suicides, 80% of homicides, 93% of workplace death and injury, 56% of hours worked, the fact that the average man has a life span 5 or more years shorter than the average woman, the fact that women are 57% of University attendees and graduates, etc, etc, etc, feminists have the gall to say:

Oh, that's just "benevolent sexism"

Rather than present a factual argument, feminists relabel words after you've backed them into a corner with logic and facts. So instead of acknowledging ingrained misandry and male disprivilege, they call the fact that men are worse off: "benevolent sexism".

Relabeling words is the surest sign of a false position based in false ideology rather than reality. Since all the facts stem from the fact that society is misandristic, anti-male and pro-female, and the fact that female privilege is far greater than male privilege, feminists must resort to relabeling, since the truth is not on their side.

The next step is to call you "man-splainer". It really is pathetically nauseating, but it further emphasizes just how out of touch and bigoted a movement feminism is.

edit: spelling

stemgang · 2012-01-15T23:09:28+00:00

It's just pseudo-intellectual-speak for "shut up."

It means you've won, because they cannot counter your arguments, and have resorted to ad-hominem attacks.

ExistentialEnso · 2012-01-15T22:46:54+00:00

As someone who is both homosexual and atheist living in America, I understand your frustration. If I talk about my sexuality regarding rights, people have my back, but the second I mention that men shouldn't be obliged to military service if women aren't, or that women should take a punch just like a man if they start a physical fight, everyone backs off and tells me I have male privilege.

I have the privilege of being told in my own country that I am forced to serve for the military if a draft is called, but that I cannot get married if I have a consenting partner. I call BS.

TracyMorganFreeman · 2012-01-16T04:26:42+00:00

As a 5'4" male I am predicted to earn less, on average, than a woman. Screw your 'privileged' bs.

crushtor · 2012-01-16T01:29:52+00:00

"Check your privilege" is just a thought-destroying aphorism like "smash the bosses" or "why pay more."

autopoetic · 2012-01-15T22:00:14+00:00

If they are trying to just shut you down without any kind of argument, that's obviously bullcrap.

But there really are situations where you have to check your privilege. Power differences are real and make a big difference in what makes sense for a given group to say or do. For example, the fact that (virtually) nobody harasses people for being straight is why gay pride parades make sense, but straight pride parades don't.

A_Nihilist · 2012-01-16T00:31:10+00:00

There are a legitimate reasons for telling someone to "check their privilege". Unfortunately, feminists have, along with the act of rape, completely diluted the meaning to uselessness.

ghebert001 · 2012-01-15T22:57:32+00:00

I do legitimately care about women's rights

So do I, but what rights do women not have?

In response to women/feminists telling us to "check your privilege", we should in kind reply with "check your entitlement".

Ma99ie · 2012-01-16T00:23:05+00:00

I think the problem is just a misunderstanding of the phrase. Directly translated from feminese, it translates to; "Shut the fuck up!"

HolyCounsel · 2012-01-16T03:19:26+00:00

Disregarding someone's opinion on these subjects because I haven't had to endure as much of the negatives is ridiculous. Isn't that just as racist and sexist?

This is one of the many reasons that I am so strongly against capital "F" Feminism. Privilege is a completely understandable byproduct of the human condition - it is difficult to know how another person feels without having lived through their experiences.

Feminism, however, turned this into a sexist weapon and used it at every opportunity. It is the very definition of prejudice to assume that a someone does not understand the issues being discussed because they are the wrong gender/race/etc.

2012-01-16T04:09:46+00:00

I wouldn't disagree with you. I think how people bring things up is extremely important.

If, as you say, you post respectfully, then the person replying should be just as respectful back.

"Check your privilege" (although I have never heard it being used like that) is not that respectful reply.

There is a way to tell someone that they haven't experienced the issue at hand, and their interpretation of events is wrong... but "Check your privilege" is not that way.

solinv · 2012-01-16T21:53:31+00:00

Lets look at the reverse. Would it be acceptable to say "Your thoughts don't mean anything because you're black"? Hell no! What about "How cute, a woman that thinks she has an opinion"? That would be absurd!

It's dismissing someone based on their gender and the color of their skin rather than actually addressing the content of the argument.

gqbrielle · 2012-01-15T23:01:10+00:00

The concept of privilege inherently seeks to silence discussion.

If you want to talk about the experiences of, say, black people, and how they are treated negatively as a result of their race. That's one thing. But when you start talking about privilege, and worse, directing those concepts at someone other than yourself, you are no longer allowing minorities to describe their own experiences, but are instead, describing the experiences of other (perceived) majorities for them, and insisting that they are no longer allowed to describe their own experiences because you have already described it for them.

ExpendableOne · 2012-01-16T03:36:21+00:00

I find it offensive when it's coming from feminists in reference to being male, since women have been, in every way imaginable, far more privileged for just about all of human history; more so now than ever. It's like... being a work mule and a disposable enforcer for women isn't really a privilege; nor is the way men are treated, deprived, socialized, vilified and criminalized. Being a majority in the top 5% also isn't really a privilege when you also happen to be a majority in the bottom 50%

How anyone can still look at the female gender - who isn't expected to work, strive, compete, fight, support, defend or live up to the same laws; or even expected to be responsible, independent, sensible, supportive, respectful, willing to pursue or even embracing of male sexuality(and who can actually get any type of social support and legislation changed pretty damn fast when they actually choose to do so) - and still somehow miss the fact that they are privileged(if not even the very basis for the concept of privilege) is mind-boggling.

Crioca · 2012-01-16T00:38:33+00:00

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2012-01-16T04:00:00+00:00

Saying something like "check your privilege",

1) stops the conversation, by stating that you're ignorant 2) doesn't explain anything they're claiming you're ignorant about. 3) immediately puts the user in an advantaged position in the conversation or debate(to listeners).

While citing privilege in a discussion is fine, doing it in this manner is not.

2012-01-16T11:15:25+00:00

Why do you use the term "non-minority"? As far as I know, that can only be referring to one group of people; white males. Please discard your use of Newspeak.

Miley_Cyrax · 2012-01-15T21:59:57+00:00

Disregarding someone's opinion on these subjects because I haven't had to endure as much of the negatives is ridiculous. Isn't that just as racist and sexist?

Yes. And the prima facie assumption that, say, white males don't face as much hardship as other groups is ludicrous. Don't buy into that frame.

No group should be given more credibility, much less a monopoly, on having an opinion on race or sex relations.

pcarvious · 2012-01-16T01:46:04+00:00

Gonna toss a few definitions out there regarding Privilege, Oppression, and Power before I launch into my argument.

Privilege: The ability to mobilize social capital

Social Capital: Vested resources, or power, usable by an individual or group

Context: Events surrounding a specific situation that determine possible actions and reactions

Power: The ability to make others do what you want

Oppression: Prejudice and power acting on an individual or group.

Now, that's done.

Privilege is often conceptualized as inherent benefits given to an individual based on a salient feature or determinant. These deposits, social capital, then can be mobilized later to increase benefits for the individual or a group. In terms of power, the more social capital one has the more powerful they are. Social capital can be gained in many different ways. Increasing prestige, increasing access, and a variety of other situations. Depending on where and how events happen social capital may have varying levels of effectiveness.

So what does it mean to enter into a situation with high social capital: It's much like regular capital. It has weight. However, it may not necessarily be usable or the right kind of capital. I can't walk into a store and spend foreign currency unless the store is designed to handle that currency. If I am able to mobilize more social capital than others in this specific situation, then I have an advantage, a privilege. However, because of the varying nature of context, I might not have the ability to mobilize as much as I actually own.

This is one of the inherent problems with assumptions of privilege. It fails to take context fully into accord when analyzing mobilizations of social capital. Over the course of a series of events, the ability to cause others to do what I need to solve a problem may differ dramatically. So will the rebound for using my social capital. Moreover, I may not even be able to mobilize my capital at all depending on where I move or how I move.

This means that generic arguments of privilege, or the existence of privilege are just that, generic arguments. They make the assumption that the person is able to fully mobilize and take advantage of their "privileged" position to further oppress those that disagree or work against them. This is not always true, and in fact, it often causes problems for those involved, especially since social capital is not an infinite amount. As more is used, there may not be as much return. So much like a bank account it is possible to overdraft.

Social networks can increase capital, but in the end it can also hinder access to capital. In the long run, ruling something to only be privilege, or saying that something happened because of privilege is short sighted and is not a true argument. It does not address the argument, just attempts to challenge a semi-salient point that may run tangent to, but not be part of the situation.

C0CKPUNCHER · 2012-01-16T06:04:20+00:00

If used correctly I wouldn't have a problem with it. But sadly it has become just another appeal to authority, the exact opposite of its meaning.

2012-01-16T00:26:52+00:00

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ExistentialEnso · 2012-01-15T23:39:38+00:00

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maxdisk9 · 2012-01-16T01:15:42+00:00

My response would be: "Check your self-righteousness and misguided resentment"

DavidByron · 2012-01-16T05:28:07+00:00

Yes it is a feminist bigoted slogan. It means "fuck all men" more or less. Feminists are extremely sexist and offensive people on the whole.

ExistentialEnso · 2012-01-16T04:20:06+00:00

White(with a black dad) hetero cis male in the military here to tell you:

Being white disqualifies me from having a personal understanding of what it is that a person of ethnic decent has to go through, on a daily basis, even though I grew up being called "dirty boy" by the white kids, and "cracker" by the black kids. I still can't even begin to imagine what it was like for my little brother, who inherited my dads genes. So I don't presume to know what I am talking about.

Being a heterosexual cis male makes it impossible to know what any female /trans * /homosexual/ bi * ect has to go through on a daily basis.

I know how privileged I am. When I come off as understanding what some one of any of those other groups that has a personal knowledge from their own life experiences, and they tell me to check my privilege, I do. I don't find it offensive, not in the least.

It isn't an ad hominem, no one is invalidating your argument, they are invalidating your experience.

It isn't a personal attack on you, it is a defense against your own cognitive bias.

If you feel as if it is an attack on you, perhaps you should take a second to examine the situation. Perhaps you really have no right to an opinion on the subject.

And for those of you that are just going to downvote, please at least try to discuss with me on why I might be wrong.

oprah666 · 2012-01-16T00:23:42+00:00

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ExistentialEnso · 2012-01-15T22:25:12+00:00

By that reasoning we should help animals rather than women. Cows are bred to be slaughtered, eaten and used. They have no rights or privileges and certainly can't vote. We can't liberate women from any evil or even bring up any of their grievances before we have liberated cows. Heck cows actually suffer in the way that feminists think they suffer. Feminists should open their eyes and save all the cows.

ExistentialEnso · 2012-01-16T04:08:02+00:00

Middle class white man offended at the notion of white male privilege.

Cry me a fucking river princess.

ExistentialEnso · 2012-01-15T22:32:33+00:00

No, not when it's used against somebody using their privilege to condescend or attack somebody less well off than them. To white straight men being accused of being a bigot is more heinous than the bigotry in hand!

Hello71 · 2012-01-16T01:29:33+00:00

ad hominem?

2012-01-16T01:57:44+00:00

[permanently deleted]

Title	"Check your privilege," to me, is one of the most offensively prejudiced token phrases against non-minorities.
Author	[deleted]
Upvotes	59
Comments	263
Date	January 15, 2012 9:52 PM UTC (14 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/oieku/check_your_privilege_to_me_is_one_of_the_most/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/check-your-privilege-to-me-is-one-of-the-most.1029172 https://theredarchive.com/post/1029172

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