Privilege And Oppression Analysis

Privilege and oppression provides a framework for understanding how institutional structures and ideologies shapes individual experiences. Privilege and oppression also explains “how power operates in society” which led to the formation of “a dominant group and a marginalized group” (Launius and Hassel, Threshold Concepts, 72-73). “Oppression can be defined as prejudice and discrimination directed toward a group and perpetuated by the ideologies and practices of multiple social institutions” (Launius and Hassel, Threshold Concepts, 73). While, privilege refer to the “benefits, advantages, and power that accrue to members of a dominant group as a result of the oppression of marginalized group”, whether or not those with privilege recognized …show more content…
Black feminists like Audre Lorde, critiqued the white feminists. White feminst groups in the late 60s and 70s were not accounting for differences and experiences of women of color. As white woman only focused their oppression as women, then “women of Color become "other," the outsider whose experience and tradition is too "alien" to comprehend” (Lorde, “Age, Race, Class and Sex: Women Redefining Difference,”). Black feminist believed that differences of race, sexual orientation, class and age were being ignored. They stated that, feminism theory and practice is to “free all women…anything less is not feminism but merely female self-aggrandizement” (Launius and Hassel, Threshold Concepts, 117). Thus, Black feminist believe that they have different experiences than white women and so they need to articulate their own theory. This is where the term intersectionality was created. Intersectionality recognize that a person can experience both privilege and oppression at the same time and in different ways. In this case, …show more content…
It affect Native American in particular at a much higher rate in terms of sexual violence. According to the Renewal of the Violence against Women Act, “rates of violence against Native women are significantly higher than for the overall rates of violence against women…2.5 times as likely to be raped as the overall rate in the United States” (Launius and Hassel, Threshold Concepts, 123). Women experience rape culture differently. Some women of color are subjected to rape based on their history and culture. As it pertains to the statistics, women of color are more likely to experience rape than white women. A woman of color experience of rape culture is usually made more difficult due to factors such as race, class, sexual orientations and gender. These factors advocate women of color to stay silent about their rapes. Sometimes one feel reporting their rapes, would lead to discrimination. Stereotyping would be another risk which lead to one being responsible for their rapes. Note that, white women face oppression as well, due to their gender and sexual orientation. However, women of colored would be more oppressed in terms of their race, class, sexual orientations and