Bead Privilege Exercise

The
Beads
of
Privilege
activity
 Materials needed:

• String or bands to make bracelets • As many different colored beads as each identity so in my adaption eight different

colored beads. For the number of beads factor in that for every person you expect to come they could get up to eight beads in every category (though it is highly unlikely)

• Facilitation guide • Tape (to hang up questions • Dishes for people to put their beads in while they walk around • Dishes to hold the beads.

Description: For this activity students will be making a bracelet to represent the different identities that they have privilege in. To begin the beads are all sorted into different dishes and placed around the room where they are matched to a question sheet. So for example the blue beads would symbolize religious privilege and students would take a bead for ever religious statement that they felt they had experienced privilege. This activity should remain silent while the participants are walking around gathering beads. They should then make their bracelets or keychains and follow-up questions could be asked after to close out the activity.

Moderations: Keep in mind that these questions (both the privilege statements and the facilitation questions) could change depending on different groups or different facilitation styles. Also note that physical and mental ability can be separated into two different categories.

Risk level: moderate to high

Processing Questions:

1. Initial feelings and thoughts about this activity? 2. Were there any questions that you didn’t understand or that came as a surprise to you? 3. What are some of the identities that you think about the most? The least? 4. How often do you think about your privilege? Is it hard to be able to physically see it? 5. Any identities that you saw missing? 6. Closing thoughts?




Christian
Privilege


1. My
place
of
work
or
school
is
closed
on
your
major
 religious
holidays.

 


2. I
can
talk
openly
about
my
religious
practices
without
 concern
for
how
it
will
be
received
by
others.
 


3. When
swearing
an
oath,
I
am
probably
making
this
oath
 by
placing
my
hand
on
the
scripture
of
my
religion.
 


4. I
probably
do
not
need
to
learn
the
religious
or
spiritual
 customs
of
others,
and
I
am
likely
not
penalized
for
not
 knowing
them.


5. I
can
travel
without
others
assuming
that
I
put
them
at
 risk
because
of
my
religion;
nor
will
my
religion
put
me
 at
risk
from
others
when
I
travel.
 



6. My
citizenship
and
immigration
status
will
likely
not
be
 questioned,
and
my
background
will
likely
not
be
 investigated,
because
of
my
religion.

 


7. I

can
openly
display
religious
symbols
on
your
body
 (dress,
accessories)
without
people
staring
or
asking
 questions
 


8. I
can
easily
find
a
place
of
worship
in
my
town
that
 subscribes
to
my
belief.




 


Gender
Privilege
 1. I
do
not
worry
about
walking
alone
at
night



 2. 
If
I
choose
not
to
have
children,
my
gender
will
not
be
 called
into
question.

 


3. I
do
not
have
to
consider
your
physical
safety
when
you
 accept
a
date
 


4. I
can
complain
about
something
without
being
told
you
 are
too
emotional
or
asked
if
it
is
that
time
of
the
month
 


5. If
I
can
have
multiple
sexual
experiences
and
be
patted
on
 the
back
and
not
called
derogatory
names.
 


6.
If
I
have
children
and
a
career,
no
one
will
think
I’m
selfish
 for
not
staying
at
home.

 
 7.
My
elected
representatives
are
mostly
people
of
my
own
 sex.

 


8.
When
I
ask
to
see
“the
person
in
charge,”
odds
are
I
will
 face
a
person
of
my
own
sex.









Sexuality
Privilege


1. I
can
be
pretty
sure
that
my
roomate,
hallmates
and
 classmates
will
be
comfortable
with
my
sexual
orientation.
 


2. When
I
talk
about
my
heterosexuality
(such
as
in
a
joke
or
 talking
about
my
relationships),
I
will
not
be
accused
of
 pushing
my
sexual
orientation
onto
others.
 


3. I
can
go
home
from
most
meetings,
classes,
and
 conversations
without
feeling
excluded,
fearful,
attacked,
 isolated,
outnumbered,
unheard,
held
at
a
distance,
 stereotyped
or
feared
because
of
my
sexual
orientation.
 


4. People
don't
ask
why
I
made
my
choice
of
sexual
 orientation.
 


5. No
one
will
ever
question
whether
or
not
it
is
appropriate
 for
me
to
have
children
or
get
married
because
of
my
 sexuality
 


6. I
can
easily
find
a
religious
community
that
will
not
 exclude
me
for
being
heterosexual.
 


7. I
can
walk
in
public
with
my
significant
other
and
not
have
 people
double‐take
or
stare.





8. I
will
be
able
to
sit
at
my
partners
death
bed.
 





Random
Privilege


1. not
having
to
bother,
unless
one
chooses,
to
learn
about
 other
countries
 


2. If
your
dietary
needs
are
met
at
most
public
locations
 


3. If
your
first
language
is
spoken
in
most
places
you
go
 


4. If
you
do
not
have
to
worry
if
there
will
be
enough
room
 for
you
in
a
car,
airplane
or
a
theater
seat
 


5. If
you
can
sit
at
almost
any
desk
in
a
classroom
and
still
be
 able
to
write
comfortably.
 


6. If
both
your
parents
are
still
alive
 


7. If
you
can
find
clothes
that
fit
your
body
type
in
most
 department
stores.

 


8. Members
of
my
immediate
family
never
have
been
treated
 for
depression,
alcoholism
or
drug
use














Race
Privilege


1. 
If
you
can
chose
blemish
cover
or
bandages
in
"flesh"
 color
and
have
them
more
or
less
match
your
skin.

 


2. I
can
go
shopping
alone
most
of
the
time,
pretty
well
 assured
that
I
will
not
be
followed
or
harassed.
 


3. I
can
turn
on
the
television
or
open
to
the
front
page
of
the
 paper
and
see
people
of
my
race
widely
represented.
 


4. When
I
am
told
about
our
national
heritage
or
about
 “civilization”
I
am
shown
that
people
of
my
color
made
it
 what
it
is.
 


5. I
can
enroll
in
a
class
at
college
and
be
sure
that
the
 majority
of
my
professors
will
be
of
my
race.
 


6. I
can
go
into
a
supermarket
and
find
the
food
I
grew
up
 with.
 


7. I
can
take
a
job
or
enroll
in
a
college
with
an
affirmative
 action
policy
without
having
my
co‐workers
or
peers
 assume
I
got
it
because
of
my
race.
 


8. I
can
easily
buy
posters,
postcards,
picture
books,
greeting
 cards,
dolls,
toys,
and
children’s
magazines
featuring
 people
of
my
race.





Class
Privilege


1. Where
I
go
to
college
is
not
dependent
on
your
financial
 aid
package.
 


2. Each
student
in
my
high
school
classroom
had
their
own
 textbook
 


3. My
family
owned
a
home
that
I
grew
up
in
 


4. I
have
travelled
internationally
 


5. I
have
the
freedom
to
waste.
 


6. I
had
my
own
bedroom
when
I
was
growing
up
 


7. I
never
have
to
worry
about
being
able
to
afford
 medication
for
myself
or
my
family.
 


8. If
either
of
your
parents
has
a
college
degree
 












 


Ability
Privilege
 1. If
I
need
to
move,
I
can
easily
be
assured
of
purchasing
 housing
I
can
get
access
to
easily

 


2. I
don’t
have
to
worry
about
where
my
mailbox
is
placed
in
 my
residence
hall
 


3. I
do
not
have
to
worry
where
the
curb
cuts
are
located
or
 if
I
do
not
know
what
a
curb
cut
is
 


4. I
don’t
have
to
worry
about
whether
the
snow
has
been
 cleared
off
or
along
pathways





5. I
can
perform
daily
tasks
and
not
have
people
ask
you
how
 you
complete
those
tasks
with
your
ability
status.
 


6. I
can
sit
anywhere
you
want
in
the
classroom
and
still
be
 able
to
see
 


7. If
you
never
have
to
worry
about
having
an
interpreter
 present
for
your
classes
or
events
that
you
attend
 


8. I
can
easily
complete
a
test
without
asking
for
special
 accommodations
from
a
teacher.