I’ve seen this article floating around on Facebook
for a while now, and I finally clicked through. Real quick, read it here. It is
written by someone named the Feminist Breeder, which might put some people off,
but once I got there I really liked it. Done?
Excellent.
Basically, this article
talks about the intersectionality between categories such as race and class,
gender and sexual orientation, citizenship and ability and just about any other
category you could imagine. My favorite part:
“As
you can see, belonging to one or more category of privilege, especially being a
straight white middle class able-bodied male, can be like winning a lottery you
didn’t even know you were playing. But this is not to imply that any form of
privilege is exactly the same as another or that people lacking in one area of
privilege understand what it is like to be lacking in other areas. Race
discrimination is not equal to sex discrimination and so forth. Listen,
recognizing privilege doesn’t mean suffering guilt or shame for your lot in life.
Nobody’s saying that straight white middle class able-bodied males are all a
bunch of assholes who don’t work for what they have. Recognizing privilege
simply means being aware that some people have to work much harder just to
experience the things you take for granted, if they can ever experience them at
all.”
This lady just managed
to put in words what I have always thought about this subject, and I think
Debbi and Nita did a great job of talking about this as well. I wish this concept of intersectionality that
Zaharna introduced to me was applied more often – that people would realize
that all privilege is not equal.
In terms of PR, how do
you think this concept should be handled and applied? In many cases, I feel
that so many people get so entrenched in their own disadvantages, or their own
privileges, that it can be hard to communicate that others have their own
unique situation, which in its own way may be as bad or as awesome as the
situation another is in.
In terms of PR, ideas of intersectionality should be applied from the initial planning phases of any campaign and throughout the campaign. As Tara May mentioned, people look to PLUs, or people like us, to confirm what they already believe. Spokespeople for campaigns should in fact be PLUs, that target specific audiences, and with a message that shows that numerous factors were taken into consideration. Looking at the Coca Cola commercial controversy though, a PR professional must also keep in mind that taking different "tribes" into account may cause certain backlash for those that don't understand why a wide audience is being sought for a campaign that is based on nationalistic discourse.
ReplyDeleteYour comment that "all privilege is not equal" struck me because it is incredibly valid and often overlooked. My White privilege is powerful and relevant in basically every culture in the world, because, throughout modern human existence, White people have ensured that for themselves.
ReplyDelete(SIDE NOTE: I want to be sure to point out that, while I am ashamed of this, I don’t do nearly enough to counteract this absolutely unfair advantage I have in the world as a White person. I often refer to White people (like I just did in that first paragraph) as if I don’t have to own that for myself. But let’s be real. That’s me I’m talking about when I say “White people.” My family, who I love, is classifiably powerful because of our race/ethnicity. We’re REALLY White and don’t do nearly enough to “make up” for that privilege. Not that we even really can.)
Anyway, while I believe economic class has a strong influence on a person's social power, often my Whiteness will garner more [undeserved] honor and respect than wealth can. Sure, maybe I would wield less power among a wealthy, Muslim family in the heart of the Iranian desert. In that world, my pale White skin would do very little for me beyond causing me physical pain from sun burns. But even then, my Whiteness affords me things. Knowing pathetically little about that complex, diverse region of the world, I have no idea what my Whiteness would afford me but I am certain it has power –of some kind– there, too.
Regarding PR work that brings us in contact with members of different privileges and cultural experiences, I agree with Hodges, from "The Meaning(s) and Making(s) of PR" that we should go into research endeavors assuming we know nothing. We all should meet people somewhere on figuratively neutral ground, and be sure to come with humility, respect and, if one can manage, a little self-recognition of one’s privilege and power.
That article pleasantly surprised me. I think she did a very good job of articulating a very well known point in such a way that makes her argument less of the “I’m white but I’m different” approach. I’m not too sure if that made sense, but basically I appreciate her article because it’s true. We could get into the whole discussion of race vs. class and class = race, but that’s for another time.
ReplyDeleteTalking about this in regards to PR, I agree with Jen’s point. It is important to recognize the combination of groups during the initial planning process because essentially it’s a whole new public that must be catered to. But PLUs are the most effective in speaking to groups. If someone wanted to educate and share the idea of privilege is not equal, PLUs would be a useful tactic in convincing. As Jen points out, PLUs allow us to confirm our beliefs, but we’re also (making an assumption) more willing to change our perception if the opinion is coming from someone of our own tribe; be that gender, sexuality, race, class, or race-class.