I am privileged.

In the past week I have read and discussed among peers what oppression is, who it effects, and to what extent groups of people are oppressed. I thought it was very important that we discussed this topic of oppression within the women and gender studies class due to the oppressive view society has against women. One article that I analyzed was Oppression by Marilyn Frye, Frye brought to light the problems and issues women face daily in society. The most interesting point Frye made was with the tradition of men holding open doors for women. Frye said that holding doors open for women is seen as oppressive because it is aiding women when they don’t need help. Although holding doors open for people isn’t a bad thing or that men should feel bad for holding doors open for women, or anybody, it is the notion that women are weak or unable to open doors for themselves. More often than not men don’t have this mindset that women cannot physically open doors therefore have to do it for them, but this action has been engrained in our society as a gentlemanly thing to do and that women should be grateful that a man relieved them of arduous task of opening a door. Frye also makes the point that no matter if a woman is sexually active or has never had sex in her life she is shamed by society. It is unfair that women cannot be comfortable in their sex life without the constant judgements and expectations of society. There was one part of this article that make me sick, it was the section about rape. According to society if a woman who was known to be sexually active and was raped, the conclusion would be that it wasn’t rape and that she “enjoyed it”. Similarly, a virgin woman who was raped would be considered a liar and would also be guilty of enjoying her sexual assault experience. 
Throughout the week however, I realized that even though I am a woman, I am a white, middle class, young woman in pursuit of gaining a higher education. I grew up in the military atmosphere and have literally had the world as my childhood home. I have had experiences that many people would have killed for and seen so many things at a young age that I still cannot believe I saw. Needless to say, I am a privileged woman and my life has been so much easier than most of the same gender. In the article White Privilege by Peggy McIntosh, it was brought to light that as a white person I have so many privileges that I either was not aware of or never even thought of. Things such as I can go to a store and find food and clothing that is accurate in representing my cultural heritage or that I can shop around in a mall and not be seen as suspicious or a criminal. Growing up I lived in safe neighborhoods, always had access to an accredited educational facility and never had to worry about sexual assault from neighbors or creeps in my surrounding area. I am infinitely lucky to have grown up in the environment that I have and it is time for all of us to acknowledge what privileges we obtain. 
Although it might have come off as bragging when I described the childhood I had and how my race benefitted me in more ways than one, it is still important to know how I am privileged so I can work toward improving life for people who were not as lucky as me. Yes, I am a woman and yes I am the oppressed side when it comes to gender oppression but, in the grand scheme of things I am way more privileged than I am oppressed.