What Else is in My Invisible Knapsack? Broadening Love’s reach in our congregations

Pivotal Notions Society uses similar mechanisms to create social identities based on difference Privilege works similarly regardless of the basis of privilege Anti-Oppression tools may be useful across oppressions Note: “Similar” does not mean “the same” These are the points to listen for in this presentation. (Organizational slide – may remove)

Who are you? How do you think of yourself? Good listener Silly sense of humor Highly analytical Baseball fanatic Self-concept has nuances that social identities don’t

Who do ‘they’ say that you are? “The media typically describe people according to certain categories…. How would the media categorize you?” From a recent telephone poll Society puts us into groups for its own convenience

Society’s favorite boxes Gender Race and Ethnicity Sexual Orientation Physical and Mental Abilities Age Class Ask them to think of how society would sort them using these identities; contrast with self-concept

Social Construction of Identity “Social construction means that society tends to divide people into arbitrary groups (e.g., black/white, able-bodied/non-able bodied). These categories become so taken for granted that it is assumed that they represent absolute reality. The categories created can divide groups into those viewed positively and those negatively stereotyped… “ Rev. Laurie Thomas “Perspectives on Disability: A Curriculum for Liberal Religious Adults”

Both/And Many of us are part of the dominant group for some identities and the non-dominant group for others.

Origins of the “Invisible Knapsack” “White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks.” Peggy McIntosh Peggy McIntosh “White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming to See Correspondences through Work in Women’s Studies” (1988) Working Paper 189 Associate Director, Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College

Hidden Privilege We are not supposed to notice where we have privilege. We think it’s normal. Justice Sonia Sotomayor confirmation example

How would my life be different If I had a different Gender? Race or ethnicity? Sexual Orientation? Physical or Mental Ability? Invite them to Imagine how your own life might be different… Let it linger, briefly Invite them to Keep thinking about how a change in your physical or mental ability might make your life different, while I read some examples of ableist privilege: Invite them to think about this: Exercise from Beyond Categorical Thinking workshop, also in Privilege, Power, and Difference by Allan G. Johnson (2nd ed.,ch2)

Examples of Ableist Privilege Television, movies, and advertisements often show people who look like me.

Examples of Ableist Privilege I can dress in a hurry or talk to myself without people attributing it to the pitifulness of my disability.

Examples of Ableist Privilege I can do well in a challenging situation without being called courageous. There are a million of these. Figure out if you want to use more? Any?

Unmasking Privilege Matters “To redesign social systems we need first to acknowledge their colossal unseen dimensions.” Peggy McIntosh