Whether you believe it or not, power and privilege are both unconsciously enjoyed and consciously maintained, which has led to systemic discrimination. Which, by the way, happens to be everywhere – schools, workplaces, government, public services, religious institutions, and elsewhere
When people (generally white men) occupy positions of power within these places, decision-making becomes less favourable to those in less privileged positions and, as a result, they never fully get a fair opportunity to voice a proposition of change, hence why systemic discrimination still exists.
The reality is that people in power do not represent reality and the communities that we live in. If this was the case, why do we have:
* people with disabilities not contributing to disability policies?
* men making policies on contraception and women’s rights to abortion?
* white privileged men making decisions on immigration?
* privileged people in parliament making a decision on whether a child can be granted food vouchers? Can you imagine being so privileged that you feel a child should not gain access to food vouchers, yet you spend £25 a day on food expenses.
* company CEOs (again, mainly white men) making decisions on whether full maternity or paternity pay should be provided to parents, and whether people should have access to a company healthcare scheme.
It happens time and time again. Those who hold power make decisions that affect those not gaining access to contribute to those decisions.
Take a company’s leadership team as an example. It happens to consist of mostly white middle-aged men yet, according to the Harvard Business Review, a majority of women hold the buying power. This is particularly when it comes to the purchases of food, home furnishings, holidays, and homes, yet we don’t have these women at the table making key decisions.
I’m sure there is some genuine intent for businesses to implement some impactful and positive changes (just as long as it doesn’t affect their superiority and become a threat to their own position). Whether that is to hire and promote a more diverse leadership team, or to take social mobility seriously, but we must acknowledge people holding power will not be comfortable taking a back seat to make room for others. Because, let’s be real, why would people holding power want to change a system that favours them?
The less privileged will always fight for their own rights, but what they need is true allyship.
If power was used with kindness, integrity, and fairness, so much positive change could take place in the world that we live in. It takes a real special someone to see a world beyond theirs, and to create and endorse change for the betterment of others.
*All views expressed on this site are my own and do not represent the opinions of any entity which I have been, am now, or will be affiliated.