Reading the article made me better grasp how one’s social class can affect a person’s living conditions, treatment, and prospects. Being heterosexual brings many factors that benefit a person from a social stance: their sexuality is accepted, normalized, and prioritized while having any other sexuality can result in ostracization (Tatum, 2015). Heterosexual people have a straight privilege that helps them to experience life without being oppressed for their sexuality, something many take for granted. The race is another aspect that can drastically change one’s life, and Joy DeGruy gives an example of how it can affect people’s perspectives (WorldTrustTV, 2011).
The example is very telling: DeGruy had to be twice as careful about acting in the situation because of her race, something that did not apply to her white-passing sister-in-law. The difference that race or sexuality can make can be astonishing: a person is always affected by it, both externally and internally. While having a privilege allows a person to ignore the social stigmas, being marginalized means that a person has to be constantly aware of their social status.
Being straight and able-bodied means that I, as a person, do not have to deal with homophobia and ableism in everyday interactions. My sexuality is accepted, even praised, and I did not have to grow up despising a natural part of myself. Being able-bodied means that I do not have to face people’s cruel treatment of disabled individuals. I also do not experience physical struggles with a disability. The video was incredibly impactful because it gave a personal example of how discrimination happens in real life. It makes me appreciate that I do not face such forms of stigma, but it also makes me care and wants to help those who do. Many people need help because they face discrimination based on their sexuality, race, and more, and they deserve to live their lives free of the stigma.
References
WorldTrustTV. (2011). Cracking the codes: Joy Degruy “a trip to the grocery store” [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Tatum, E. (2015). 10 examples of straight privilege. Everydayfeminism. Web.