Social Class Privilege Checklist
Source: https://cdn.ymaws.com/aohc.site-ym.com/resource/group/84a219ba-fcd2-4d5a-941d-c10b5105113b/reflection_on_white_priviled.pdf
This list is written by Peggy McIntosh, associate director of the Wellesley Collage Center for Research on Women. She calls it the "Social Class Privilege Checklist," stating:
- I don’t need to worry about learning the social customs of others.
- The ‘better people’ are in my social group.
- It is likely that my career and financial success will be attributed to my hard work.
- People appear to pay attention to my social class.
- When I am shopping, people usually call me “Sir” or “Ma’am”.
- When making a purchase with a check or credit card, my appearance doesn’t create problems.
- When I, or my children, are taught about history, people from my social class are represented in the books.
- I can easily speak with my attorney or physician.
- There are neighborhoods I can move to where I feel ‘at home’.
- There are places where I can be among those exclusively from my social class.
- I can deny Social Class Privilege by asserting that all social classes are essentially the same.
- Experts appearing on mass media are from my social class.
- There are stores that market especially to people from my social class.
- I can protect myself and my children from people who may not like us based on my social class.
- Law enforcement officials will likely assume I am a non-threatening person once they see me and hear me.
- Disclosure of my work and education may actually help law enforcement officials perceive me as being “in the right” or “unbiased.”
- I can easily speak to my child’s college professors.
- My citizenship and immigration status will likely not be questioned, and my background will likely not be investigated, because of my social class.
- I can be sure that my social class will be an advantage when seeking medical or legal help.
- If I wish to my children to private schools, I have a variety of options.
- I can find colleges that have many people from my social class as students and that welcome me or my child.
- If I apply for a prestige job competing with people of a lower class, my social class will be to my advantage.
- The decision to hire me will be related to my background and where I went to school.
- When I watch TV or read the papers I can see people of my own class represented well.
- The “Newsmakers” are like me.
- I deserve my status because of my accomplishments.
- If I get offered a job over someone with more experience, it is because I deserve it.
- My elected representatives share a similar background with mine.
- Chances the person in charge in any organization is like me or is sympathetic to my status.
- My child is never ignored in school, and if there are problems, I am called by the teacher or principal.
- People are usually careful with their language and grammar around me.
(McIntosh).