In 2014, David S. Pedulla found that black gay men would receive salaries similar to their straight male counterparts due to what he identified as "privilege" [ 1 ]. Although being black made a man seem more aggressive, being gay made him seem more effeminate. So, being black and gay seemed to "cancel out" and result in salaries that were higher than straight black men and gay white men. Reading this study by Dr. Pedulla and the reflections by gay black men writing about the study, I began to realize that the issue here is in our definition of privilege. No one wants to be hired just because they are white, gay, female, or otherwise labeled. Privilege, as a useful definition for achieving equality, is not primarily about material benefits. Privilege is being seen and treated as an individual. When you are seen and treated as an individual, rather than a box, you are more likely to be valued for your skills. Whether or not these findings are generally ...
learning from success and failure