Privilege or Oppression?

Before we start talking about privilege and oppression, we must understand what they mean first. Both of these words function in a way that helps us understand the workings of society. In each system of privilege and oppression, there is always a dominant group and a marginalized group. The dominant group  is the "norm" and the marginalized group is the "other." As defined, oppression is prejudice or discrimination directed towards a group and perpetuated by the ideologies and practices of multiple social institutions.  Privilege is defined as benefits, advantages, and power that results from oppression of the marginalized group. Audre Lorde argues that "we have all been programmed to respond to the human differences between us with fear and loathing and to handle that difference in one of three ways: ignore it, and if that is not possible, copy it if we think it is dominant, or destroy it if we think it is subordinate."

Rape culture is an example of privilege and oppression related to woman's bodies. This is the idea that "sexual violence is socially tolerated and woven into the fabric of society through various forms of sexism, victim blaming, support for male dominance and female passivity, and legal and policy structures that place responsibility for male sexuality on women."  Women are oppressed because they have the responsibility of acting and dressing a certain way to prevent sexual violence and to not be a victim. While men typically don't have to worry about the way they act or dress from sexual violence.

Sexual Harassment Policy
Sexual harassment in the workplace is against the law. This would include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or sexual conduct of a sexual nature. In recent news, Harry Winstein, a famous producer, is in the spotlight for sexual harassment in the workplace. Among those that are speaking out are Angelina Jolie, Ashley Judd, and Gwyneth Paltrow.  This case has raised the discussion of how harassment is being handled in the workplace, and if enough is being done to address this situation. This policy has its best interest in all genders. But more so, that women are oppressed and the men are privileged. As I've stated before earlier, women have to be more carful with themselves so that they don't become the next victim. Because you never know.