I have always thought that privileged was only about people who could afford the expensive stuff. But then I went to Mexico to see my family for the first time. My parents made sure that I didn’t bring any nice things to Mexico. When my parent told me that, I wondered why my parents would say that. When I arrived, I noticed why my parents said that to me. My cousin was so happy about my coming to visit them. When I was looking around the house, I noticed things that didn’t have half of the things I had in my house. For instance, they didn’t have a lot of future or even doors for privacy. I also notice my cousin’s clothing. My clothing was from brand and didn’t have rips or dirt. My cousins were starting at what I was wearing, and they told me that they wished they had nice clothes like mine. I felt like when I was there, I noticed things that never crossed my mind. There I would be considered privileged, which made me think to be more appreciative of my things.

I’ve experienced oppression when it came to sex. my family has this thing that women can’t go anywhere unless a man goes with them if anything bad happens. Since I have an older brother, they make him go with me wherever I go. When it came to something, I wanted to be independent. My parents will tell me I can’t go anywhere unless he goes. I never understood that. Why do I, as women have to go with a man being either my brother or cousin to every place I go? that whole tradition my family has should be let go. They need to realize that women are capable of taking care of themselves. Another thing I experienced was when the men of the house expected the women to do the usual womanly stuff: cleaning, cooking, and listening to everything they had to say. That’s another tradition men need to let go of.

The reading and the video combined helpt me understand privilege in more depth. Anything that considers having something someone else doesn’t have is considered a privilege, and we need to realize that we are all privileged in many ways we think we aren’t. Reading Marilyn also helped me understand a word that I didn’t know, oppression. im glad that I had the chance to understand the reading and open my mind to think bigger.