Many of the articles I write are very personal. I tend to only want to write about issues which conceptually affect me. Be that a scathing review of an anti-trans or broader anti-LGBT bill, as I am personally transgender; a discussion on Planned Parenthood controversies and “female” health because as much as I wish I was not, I was born with a uterus, and those controversies affects me; or a mild rant on right-handed people inexplicably taking all the left-handed desks so lefties like me are inconvenienced for no good reason.

I do not feel comfortable loudly and in print voicing my opinion on subjects which I cannot even delude myself into believing I personally understand. I would be fine writing an unbiased news piece on any controversial subject featuring quotes from those directly involved in the issue. However, as someone who has a lot of majority privilege in many respects, my personal opinion is not as important regarding minority issues I am not part of.

Hopefully you would not raise up the opinion of an abled person over someone who actually has a disability when the topic of equal access and appropriate accommodations gets broached. Unfortunately, that happens far too often. 

We have cisgender men legislating the goings on of uteri, often without the considerations of people who actually have or want to have uteri. We have rich people who criticize the movements to increase minimum wage, when this movement exists so the average person can survive and not die on their feet working four jobs just in order to pay for housing, food and health insurance. 

We have people who have no accurate clue what a trans person even is, saying they are deviants and legislating against them. Talking heads on the news,  who are often white, criticize movements promoting racial equality without ever having fair discussion with people actually affected by racial injustices.

I am not saying to people with straight privilege, white privilege or any privilege, really, that your general opinions do not matter. However, I am saying that your opinions on minority communities you are not a part of do not matter, or at least do not matter as much as the opinions of people with actual real-life experiences dealing with whatever prejudice is being discussed.

That is not to say that as someone of a majority you should abuse your privilege to ignore issues minorities face because they do not affect you. You should of course stand for equality. People of a majority supporting causes for equal  rights and treatment are often necessary for equal rights to actually be put in place. 

Actor Emma Watson recognized this and helped found a male feminist movement called “He for She” which encourages men to use their societal privilege to stand up for the rights of women.

Privilege is not a bad thing in the right hands.  More often than not, it is something you cannot control. However, your privilege should  be a tool to raise others up to have the same voice as you. Support important minority causes but  remember not to let your voice drown out the voices of those whom the movement is actually about.