Quizzes Are Dumb

I just took this quiz to find out how privileged I am: http://www.buzzfeed.com/regajha/how-privileged-are-you. 

The first time I took it, I got 49 out of 100 points of privilege and was told, "You’re not privileged at all. You grew up with an intersectional, complicated identity, and life never let you forget it. You’ve had your fair share of struggles, and you’ve worked hard to overcome them. We do not live in an ideal world and you had to learn that the hard way. It is not your responsibility to educate those with more advantages than you, but if you decide you want to, go ahead and send them this quiz. Hopefully it will help."

That's interesting and somewhat validating, but some of the questions were hard to answer. For example, I'm pretty sure I have been called a racial slur (both in jest and in earnest) but it was so long ago I can hardly remember and it didn't affect my self-esteem in any way. Name calling is always hurtful, but the weight of the slurs that apply to me simply doesn't compare to the weight of slurs for other races. That may not be fair but not much about the world is, and, "My racial slur doesn't receive or warrant as much indignation as yours," is really... I don't know; what's less significant than a first world problem? And if I have to think about it this much, does it even count? Have I really been racially slurred? The letter-of-the-law answer is yes. The spirit-of-the-law answer, maybe not.

The quiz also asks whether or not strangers have ever wanted to touch my hair. This is likely in reference to oblivious white people invading the personal space of black people and making them feel judged as unusual and put on display because of their hair's style or texture. Well, as a kid I had very long, straight, blond hair. The other girls in my elementary school were always touching my hair, asking to braid it or just play with it, even girls I didn't know. I remember once sitting on the risers in music class and my hair was being pulled in 4 different directions by inept would-be stylists. So, yes, strangers have asked to touch my hair. It certainly singled me out as different but it didn't make me feel uncomfortable. Unlike my sister and niece (also white) who can't stand when strangers reach for their curls, I love when people play with my hair. It makes my eyes roll back into my head and I drool a little. It's embarrassing to think of now, but since I was never offended when strangers asked it of me I know there were times when I was that obnoxious white girl who asked to touch a black girl's hair. This was when I was young and didn't have boundaries or any social context.

"I have never lied about my sexuality," is another tough one. I've never had to hide the fact that I'm a girl who likes boys, but the word "sexuality" implies more than just sexual preference, and I can be pretty reserved about all that stuff, especially with authority figures. I never HAD to lie, but I certainly DID lie about what I was up to from time to time. Likewise, I answered that I have been called derogatory slurs for a homosexual, but since I am not a homosexual that is more of an insult to homosexuals than to me. "Don't be gay, just jump in already!" said my lesbian friend at the pool one day. On the flip side, I have been singled out as odd for being heterosexual, "I don't get how anyone in this day and age can be completely straight," and you should hear the comments when someone finds out you're a sexually abstinent adult! 

But back to this silly quiz; I don't have any student loans because I never took any out and haven't graduated college, not because I could afford to go to school without them. Also, sometimes people go to bed hungry by choice, not necessity. 

Long story short, I took the quiz a second time and got 51 out of 100 points of privilege. Only 2 points of difference, but now the quiz maker tells me, "You’re quite privileged. You’ve had a few struggles, but overall your life has been far easier than most. This is not a bad thing, nor is it something to be ashamed of. But you should be aware of your advantages and work to help others who don’t have them. Thank you for checking your privilege." 

A 2 point change takes me from, "You’re not privileged at all," to "You’re quite privileged." The mathematical difference between my "fair share" of struggles and "a few" struggles in an otherwise easy life is, apparently, 2. Out of 100. Because there are only 100 ways someone can be privileged or disadvantaged. 

This is not science. It was interesting, though, and I do think that it's got some good things going for it. It is definitely important to be aware of what you have and of what others don't have. I think it does more good than harm, even if it is oversimplified and a bit high-handed. 

You should take the quiz and let me know what you get and what you think about it. Were there only 2 possible results or were there more? Comments are welcome.