A little while ago, Reddit user u/vianneyal posed the question, "What is something people don't realize is a privilege?" The thread quickly went viral as users shared the things that so many of us take for granted as we go about our day.
Here are some of the most thought-provoking responses:
1. "Clean water."
"This. I once worked on a First Nations reserve with no potable water. Everyone had these big containers you dropped off at a water station, got filled, then carried back home. Not only did it suck to lug heavy containers of water back to your house, it also sucked to have to constantly watch how much water you have and plan when you need to get a refill, as they only refilled your containers on certain days of the week."
2. "Living in a peaceful society. My mum grew up in a war zone. Dead bodies in her garden. Firefights in her street. I live in fear of the civil war starting again. It really pisses me off when people take for granted making political decisions without considering if it leads to violence."
3. "Travel. There are a lot of privileges within that broad category, too. Men can sometimes travel alone to places that women might feel unsafe visiting. People in the LGBTQ community are sometimes at greater risk than others. White people are sometimes treated better as tourists than people of color."
"In school, I had rich friends tease me for never leaving the country, and I felt SO much shame. Looking back, I realize money-wise, it was never even an option. Wasn’t so obvious when I was a kid."
4. "Having access to menstrual hygiene products and a choice in which kind I use."
"And not being forced to stay home from school or work when you have your period because you’re considered 'unclean.'"
6. "Buying groceries without having to carefully consider prices."
7. "Having access to dentists in childhood."
"The worst is when your parents know you need regular dental care, but they're too poor to take you every six months. My parents bit the bullet and took us in for a checkup (and a few inevitable fillings) every 3–5 years."
8. "Reliable internet and cellular access is a big one. I teach in a school that is largely First Nations, right beside a reservation. With the pandemic, we had a large number of students who didn’t even have the option to do their classes/work from home."
"Cell phone service didn’t extend to those parts of the reservation, let alone internet service. These were students who either had to sit in their cars at funded public access points all day or HAD to come in to school — regardless of health concerns — because they had no other option."
–Cici
13. "I noticed that I was privileged with eating to my taste. My dad told me how in Mexico, they ate what they had. It was rural farm life. He continued to eat that way even living here in America. He would buy me and my sister whatever we wanted and make eggs and beans for himself."
"Poverty and hunger do that to you. I eat leftovers and ration my food. We are a family of three: two adults and one toddler. And we have a massive pantry; we have enough dry food to last a family of five a whole year... I never noticed it until someone pointed it out, and I remembered being hungry as a child."
14. "Being able to quit a job without fear of losing financial stability."
15. "The other night, I decided to change my bedding randomly and realized how lucky I am to be able to swap to another clean set on a whim. Clean laundry, multiple blankets...Those things make me feel rich. A lot of people don't have a clean, safe bed to sleep in."
16. "Weekends off. I think about this every Saturday when the gardener comes to mow. He brings his son to help him. My kids are sitting in their PJs working on coding projects, while his son is out helping mow lawns. That is his kid's Saturday off school vs. my kids'."
"The danger is that someday, if my kids become programmers or whatever white collar job, they will look back and say, 'It's because I worked hard to gain these skills,' taking for granted the privilege of the time to do it."
17. "Having your parents to fall back on for help or advice during adulthood. I've been estranged since I've been 16. Life ain't easy navigating the world alone."
18. "Going to school."
"Too many people take education for granted."
19. "Being able to put gas in your car and not look at how much you are spending. I remember having to think about how much money was in my account and how much gas I could afford to buy so I could get to work but also still have money for food and rent."
20. "Air conditioning."
"Especially with people dying in heat waves these days. There is no escape from a deadly heat wave. It’s a luxury, but I wish it were a standard thing."
21. And finally, "For my dad, it was shoes. He grew up dirt poor in a rural area in the US. His family had hardly anything; sometimes, they lived in a tent. He went without shoes a lot or wore his mother's shoes to school."
"Growing up, even though we didn't have a lot, he always made sure I had shoes that fit and weren't worn out. I had these little leather shoes that I remember him polishing each Sunday night. He would always check the soles of my shoes, and if they were starting to wear out, he would take me that weekend to Sears to get new shoes."
Can you think of something that many people don't realize is a privilege? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.