As we enter into a Presidential Election Year, we’re going to be bombarded with questions that at rock bottom deal with privilege. Who gets to do what and with what help? Who gets to have access to health care? Who gets to avoid dying in Iraqi sand? Who gets to decide whether we keep business as usual or whether we change? Who gets to read your library card records?

What got me thinking about this was a posting over on Sara Zarr’s blog about privileges we have growing up. The importance of thinking about this is that the level of privilege we have as children is very likely a good indicator of how we form our ideas about what’s “normal.” If you spent your whole childhood never knowing how much heat or food or shelter cost, it’s a bit easier to take those things for granted than if your family was always wondering whether the next night would be spent rolled up all together under every available blanket.

I know I found the exercise to be a tad uncomfortable at times when I realized some fairly vital things that I took for granted.

If you use the test yourself, please give proper credit to the authors.

From What Privileges Do You Have? - Based on an exercise about class and privilege developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. If you participate in this blog game, they ask that you PLEASE acknowledge their copyright.

Bold the true statements.

1. Father went to college

2. Father finished college

3. Mother went to college

4. Mother finished college

5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor

6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers.

7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home.

8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home. (but we did own a bookstore…)

9. Were read children’s books by a parent

10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18.

11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18 (piano, trumpet, voice, swimming)

12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively

13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18.

14. Your parents (or other family members) paid for the majority of your college costs

15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs

16. Went to a private high school

17. Went to summer camp

18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18

19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels

20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18

21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them

22. There was original art in your house when you were a child

23. You and your family lived in a single-family house

24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home

25. You had your own room as a child

26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18

27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course

28. Had your own TV in your room in high school

29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college

30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16

31. Went on a cruise with your family

32. Went on more than one cruise with your family

33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up

34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family