Well Needed History Lessons
It is a privilege to be straight. This privilege is often taken for granted mainly because it takes up a vast majority of people and it cannot be seen. Physical privileges are recognized before those that are invisible. Those who are straight have not been oppressed because of their sexual orientation unlike those who are attracted to the same sex. This privilege has a major effect on society, learning institutions and individual people as well. The battle of searching for equal rights queer people face is everywhere.
A few months ago, I was on the Civil Rights Pilgrimage and on one of the bus rides we filled out a true false form, that put our privilege into perspective compared to others. One of the statements were, I am attracted to the same sex. Now, I’ve always knew straight people had an easier time than queer people throughout life, but I never could put a word to it of why. I knew what privilege was, but I always thought privilege came in two manifestations, either economic status or the color of your skin, because that what I was taught growing up; this is very untrue. Privilege comes in several forms, one of those being sexual orientation. Once that word was attached to the struggle I’ve had, it all made sense. It was like finding that last puzzle piece under the couch that you’ve been searching for the past week and finally being able to complete that puzzle of the super adorable Labrador retriever.
After I connected it in my brain that straight people had an easier time because of this privilege, I started to notice it even more. For instance, growing up I’ve always been stared at in public bathrooms or women will walk in, walk out and check the sign and come back in or even wait until I’m done washing my hands before going back in. If you’ve ever seen me, I do not look like a “typical” female, but I do look like a “typical” male. This is privilege in action, I cannot use a public restroom without being stared at, all because of my self-expression and sexual orientation. I’m from Wisconsin and this is a reoccurring experience I’ve had since growing up. When I was in San Francisco specifically the Castro district for the freaQweek immersion trip, this struggle I’ve had disappeared. It was like the privilege others had was wiped away. I finally got to experience what it was like to not have people stare at me; I was “normal” there.
This whole experience I’ve had shows that there is a flaw in learning institutions which have affected my life. Throughout elementary, middle and high school, they assume everyone is straight, so I was never taught about queer history, prominent queer icons, how to have safe queer sex, or even prejudices/hate groups against the queer community. I had to learn these subjects on my own from other people, the internet and luckily this trip. The trip has truly affected me personally and I’ve experienced lots of self-growth. I’ve learned so much about my community, what pride is all about, where movements started and myself.
The lack of knowledge of these subjects have truly affected my life but also those who are straight, because they do not understand the oppression the queer community has experienced. There are times where the straight community will exercise their privilege without even knowing it and the queer community will get upset. What people are missing is that straight people were never educated about the queer community and its history so how are they supposed to know when they exercise the privilege. I’m not excusing their misuse of privilege because it still not okay, but we need to educate others rather than tell them what they are doing wrong. Teaching queer history in schools when people are young will help and is a good start, but it won’t solve it all. We need change in legislative institutions, teaching everyone to accept others for who they are and action. This won’t happen with one person. We have to work together to make this change so that we can minimize this privilege gap in addition to others such as skin color, religion, gender, economic status and the others.
