Privilege Test Explained
It is a set of questions about amenities, comforts, chances, and problems you have had in your life. The goal of any privilege quiz is to determine how benefited you are compared to others. Of course, it is not meant to judge you for things you have or vice versa. However, the questions remind you of your social status and how it compares to the rest of society.
Some Ways to Know How Privileged You Are
You can easily determine if you are advantaged or not. All you have to do is think about how difficult or easy it is for you to live. However, some might find it complicated as the definition of comfortable and challenging life varies. So, here are four additional straightforward methods to check your privilege.
Method #1: The Five Basic Questions
An easy DIY privilege test is to ask the following yes-no questions:
- Do others judge you because of your appearance?
- Do you have the chance to do what you like despite your gender?
- Do you feel society accepts you as the way you are?
- Do you freely talk about your sexual-orientation with others?
- Do you feel like your life is financially stable?
You have to answer at least four of the above questions with yes. Otherwise, you are not a privileged person. The Five Basic Questions are about the most crucial freedoms and opportunities one should have. People who do not have such rights are not living a privileged life.
Method #2: General Stress Level
Another method to check if you’re a benefited person is the stress level test. Check the following table and select your anxiety level for each topic/issue.
| Issues | Stress Level |
|
Thinking about how to make ends meet at the end of each month. |
High
Medium Low |
|
Worrying about bad things that could happen to you because of your low income. |
High
Medium Low |
|
Overthinking every month’s budget. |
High
Medium Low |
|
Being anxious about your tuition or credit card debt. |
High
Medium Low |
If you have more than two “high-stress levels” for the above topics, you are not privileged. One of the perks of having an advantaged life is not worrying about your elementary needs or problems.
Method #3: Taking the National Civil Rights Museum Privilege Aptitude Test
One popular way for a privilege level check is to take the National Civil Rights Museum‘s quiz. It is a free downloadable PDF file with 12 opportunity- and social benefit-related questions. You have to answer with yes and no to all the queries to get the results. You get 1 point for each “yes” and 0 points for each “no.”
The goal of the said quiz is to help youth become aware of their rights. It also points out the fact that some people are not able to live a normal life just because they are different. During the Civil Rights Movement, one of the aspirations was to emphasize systematic inequality in society. The 12 questions of the Civil Rights Museum have the same approach. You get to know the gap between various classes and genders in your country through checking your privilege.
The only downside to the said questionary is that you have to figure out the results. You have to add up your points and compare them to others to see how advantaged or disadvantaged you are.
If that is not your thing and you want instant outcomes, use method #4 and take the privilege test. (See below).
Method #4: Taking an Online Quiz with Instant Results
Online quizzes are an excellent tool to assess your privilege level quickly. They have a similar structure to other offline and written assessments. However, the good thing is that you do not have to do the math to come up with a result. The privilege test on this page returns instant results as soon as you answer all the twenty questions.
You do not have to provide us with your email address—or any other personal information. You receive a 100% free and complete assessment right away.
Things to Know Before Taking the Privilege Test
Class or white privileges are some of the most controversial topics in most societies. That is why you should have some basic knowledge about the things you face on the test. Here are what you need to know before starting the quiz.
1. Right VS. Privilege
A “right” is something that you must have, and no one can take it from you. However, privilege shows your power to exercise your rights. For instance, driving a car is your right (as long as you respect the laws). But having a car to drive is a privilege.
Many people love to drive. However, their socioeconomic situation makes it impossible to get a vehicle. So, they do not have the privilege of driving.
Understanding the difference between these two concepts is crucial. Because privilege tests do not tell what is your right and what is not. They just evaluate the accessibility and achievability of agreed human rights for you.
2. Different Types of Privilege
The most common types are class and white privilege. Note that categories of privileges are mostly similar. However, each might represent a specific advantage that comes along with something you did not choose. For instance, white privilege refers to the benefits of being a white person in white-dominant countries like the USA.
Here are some other categorizations.
Class
Class privilege points out the gap between chances and opportunities each social class has.
Race
Racial privilege is a general term for the advantages or disadvantages you face because of your race or ethnicity.
Socioeconomic
Similar to class privilege, socioeconomic privilege considers the benefits of having access to more economic resources.
Gender
It identifies how much you are affected by sexism in your society.
Sexual Orientation
The gap between access to human rights between heterosexual and non-heterosexual people in a society.
Others
There are other types of specified social superiorities for particular groups. However, taking the privilege test can identify which one you benefit from and vice versa.
3. System of Oppression Effect on Your Privilege
Sociologists believe that there is a systematic form of oppression in some societies that promotes inequality. For instance, several countries have laws to prevent certain ethnic groups from accessing education. The privilege test considers that. So, some questions aim to reveal how legal and social boundaries have stopped you from exercising your rights.
4. The Relationship Between Privilege and White Guilt
White privilege is the idea that white people should be responsible for what happens to minorities. However, the privilege test on this page has nothing to do with white guilt promotion. It does not indicate that people with better amenities and more opportunities have done something wrong.
What Is Next After Recognizing How Privileged You Are?
National Civil Rights Museum has two pieces of advice for those who take the privilege test.
Get Active. If you cannot exercise your rights, do something about it. Instead of getting mad, try to be more active in your society. No one should ever blame you for the situation or environment you grew up in. And being active does mean that you are responsible for changing the whole community. However, most civil rights movements like Black Live Matters started with individuals reacting to inequality in the systems. So, you could do more than wishing for a better life.
Give Back. If the privilege test says you are an advantaged person, do not feel bad. It does not mean you are spoiled or anything like that. However, it shows you have some potential opportunities that others might not get in life. So, the best thing to do is give back to your community, trying to make the grounds even for everyone to progress.
Things You Could Do to Reduce the Effect of Social Injustice
No matter what your privilege test says, you can do your part to fight systematic oppression back. Here are three important steps anyone could take to help reduce inequality in society.
- Speak out against injustice. Remaining silent is not a good idea. If you do not want to be a part of it, then speak about it.
- Take advantage of your opportunities to help others. If your privilege test says you are a benefited citizen, use it as a chance to help your community.
- Use knowledge as your power. Read and study more about civil rights topics. Educate yourself to recognize injustice and fight back.
FAQs About the Online Privilege Test (Edited for 2021)
Is it a racism test?
No. But the privilege test evaluates the effect of racism on your everyday life.
Does the test give me a score?
No. the privilege test is not a contest. So, you do not get any scores in the results. The primary goal is to show whether or not you are a privileged person.
Do I have to know my rights to take it?
No, you do not. The questions are about your daily life. So, you do not need to have specific information about civil rights. However, it is a good idea to read about your rights after taking the privilege test.
The test said I am privileged. Is it a bad thing?
No, it is not. Being a privileged person is not a bad thing. Most of the time, you did not choose to be a part of the benefited group. However, it is not okay to use your advantages against others.
