Privilege / Privileged Group Member / Male Privilege

Privilege: Unearned access to resources (social power) is only available to some individuals due to their social group.

Privileged Group Member: A member of an advantaged social group privileged by birth or acquisition, i.e., Whites, men, owning class, upper-middle-class, heterosexuals, gentiles, Christians, and non-disabled individuals. Male

Male Privilege: Male Privilege refers to men’s tendency to allow and expect women to take on an unequal division of labor, responsibility, and self-denial. It can be thought of as having both a relational and a societal element.

Relational Male Privilege: Men are less affected by the cries of babies, the demands of children, the needs of sick people, or an unkempt house, and women will often end up taking care of these things on their own because the men in the household make no immediate move to help. Even if each individual piece of work by the woman seems voluntary, the overall picture is not. For example, in a household, no immediate move is made to help. Even if each individual piece of work by the woman seems voluntary, the overall picture is not. For example, in a household where both partners work full-time, the woman will be expected to cook and clean when she gets home. For another example, a woman will be expected to do all the childcare and housework, even if it amounts to far more than the man’s job.

Societal Male Privilege: Men tend not to clearly state or negotiate dependency needs. Instead, it is common for men to want to build them into roles. For example, women might be expected to spend non-job time at home, while men are expected to come and go. Or women are expected to have sex whenever the man wants it. This protects men from worries of abandonment or inadequacy. Unchecked; however, this tendency becomes a duty and a demand backed up by social attitudes and rules. Some cultures allow or help men to punish partners who ‘don’t know their place.”

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