Straight Privilege Just as Pervasive as White Privilege

To the Editor:

I’d like to extend my appreciation of the conversation that took place at “White Privilege in Higher Education,” the week before break. I was impressed by the listening and responding of the participants on the panel and in the crowd. 
At one point the charge was raised to Oberlin students that they fulfill the promise contained in “one person can change the world,” and asked that they not forget to do this once they clear out of classrooms, Warner main space and Oberlin College in general, where learning and discussions about white privilege are supposed to take place. Admittedly, it is easier to talk the talk than to walk the walk when we’re outside these places. 
My response to this charge is to accept it. A paramount reason I chose to come to Oberlin was because it afforded opportunities to think outside myself, think differently and to find ways of thinking that I could use to change problematic, oppressive systems. My charge is that my concerned peers and professors do the same. 
The issue was raised about the absence of queer persons of color on the panel. Ironically, straight privilege was easily enforced in response. The panelists remarked that such a voice should have been represented, and they then moved on. Apparent in this was that straight privilege allows for a nod, “yes we know straight privilege exists, we disagree with it, but we’re moving past it,” and little else. This is unacceptable. 

Straight privilege, as rampant as white privilege, reveals itself all the time. It readily reveals itself to the queer student who lives in spite of it. Token queers in classrooms are asked if they chose their sexuality (did anybody?), if they are promiscuous (as though straights aren’t), if they are worried about AIDS (as though they’re the only ones who ought to be) and if their parents accept them (proposing that they shouldn’t). Straight privilege allows this behavior to happen. It is unacceptable. 
Straight privilege and white privilege are each unacceptable. There is substantial work to be done in unpacking and addressing each, but all of this work needs to be done. As I accept the charge to question my white privilege, acting against it now and beyond Oberlin, I charge you to do the same with straight privilege now, and beyond Oberlin. We are currently failing.

–Jason Prokowiew
College senior