Portfolio Item #4: The Male Privilege Checklist http://amptoons.com/blog/the-male-privilege-checklist/)

At times, possessing privilege can cause individuals to be blinded to the inequities others face. When an individual becomes accustomed to interactions that suit them, ie,  views, manner of speaking, behaviours and your conduct, it can be difficult to see how others aren't experiencing the same level of comfort in their societal interactions. These "blinders of privilege" can be hard to detect by the wearers. The link provided here gives a breakdown list of privileges that white males possess in our contemporary patriarchal society. The explanation for privilege is that "white" and "male" are the default states for western society, and so those that behave in such a way as to conform to those notions are a privileged class. Individuals with the blinders of privilege can often go without noticing how the status quo that works so well for them, so often ends up hurting and disadvantaging others. For example, men do not have to fear losing control over reproductive rights in the same way that women do - women are the childbearing gender and therefore have an extra burden that men do not. This is just one such obvious example of privilege, and there are many more, often far more subtle than mentioned. Though not all men may benefit from all the items on the list, men certainly benefit from at least a few items on the list at any given time. If the goal for society is truly that of a more egalitarian tilt, then the first step in achieving that goal is realizing those privileges and working to eliminate them where they exist.