Travel is a Privilege

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The ability to travel is a privilege, and it’s essential to consider what that means for you as a traveler, why it’s important, and how it can affect your outlook on life.

Travel is one of the hottest and most sought after commodities today. Open any social media platform and you’re immediately inundated with beautiful vistas, stunning bucket-list-worthy experiences, and stylish people effortlessly traveling from place to place as if everyone in the world could follow in their footsteps with ease.

There’s no denying that travel broadens horizons, opens minds, and creates a sense of global empathy. Not to mention there are many psychological benefits of travel. But in reality, not everyone has the same ability or opportunity to travel the globe far and wide, as much as they’d maybe like to.

It’s time we start talking about the fact that travel is a privilege, and that we stop idolizing it in the way we currently do. It’s time to stop making the generalization that everyone can and should travel in order to be happy. It’s time we start addressing this privilege and how we can better our society across the board.

Let’s talk about the fact that travel is a privilege.

In the dictionary, privilege simply means “a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group of people”. However, the nuances of privilege in our society and what it means for different people, are far from a simple dictionary definition.

An intangible presence in everyone’s life, you may not even realize that certain aspects of who you are give you more or less privilege, opportunity or advantages than others.

So I write this as a kindly reminder. As compassionate and empathetic people, we should take a step back from time to time and reflect on our place in this world in relation to others. To identify some of the things in our lives that make us more or less privileged. To learn something new and put ourselves in others’ shoes.

Considering the different types of societal privilege is a great place to start.

7 Types of Travel Privilege to Consider

1. Class + Socioeconomic Privilege.

The socioeconomic standing of any individual or group, as defined by income, education and occupation, comes with many social privileges. It’s no secret that money creates opportunities – education, living environment, travel ability, etc. which in turn greatly affects your path in life.

Consider:

• Have you ever had to worry about making ends meet? Is the cost of travel way too expensive? Is your family supportive emotionally and financially? Is it difficult to take time off of work or life to travel? Are you college educated? Do you have monthly student loan payments?

If you’ve never really had to think twice about the cost of living, cost of travel, your ability to take time off of work, or what your family would think of your desire to travel, you enjoy a special advantage not everyone has.

2. Sexuality.

Sadly we still live in a world where people feel unsafe because of their sexuality and gender identity. Especially in regards to travel, there are many places in the world (America included) that make the LGBTQ community feel unwanted or unsafe.

Consider:

• Have you ever felt unsafe showing your true sexuality/gender identity in public with your significant other? Have you ever had to lie about your sexuality to feel safe? Have you ever been harassed for your sexuality? Have you ever had to change your travel destination for fear of being persecuted for your sexuality? Is your sexuality illegal where you’re from or where you’re traveling to?

If you’ve never had to consider what your sexuality means for your safety or interaction with the world, you enjoy a special advantage not everyone has.

3. Race + Ethnicity + Culture.

The color of your skin and cultural identification dictates a lot about what kind of challenges or advantages you’ll encounter in this life. The color of your skin, environment you’re raised in, ideals you’re instilled with, and values of your peers greatly influence your ability or desire to travel (or to do anything).

Consider:

• Do you have to worry about the color of your skin when you travel? Do you make destination decisions based on your ethnicity, culture or race? Do you get harassed, touched, stared at, and/or asked many questions due to the color of your skin? Do you often feel you’re the minority in any given location?

If you’ve never felt out of place or different because of color of your skin or where you’re from, you enjoy a special advantage not everyone has.

4. Physical Ability + Invisible Illness.

As someone living without a disability or chronic pain, it’s incredibly easy to take advantage of the fact that mobility comes easy. We don’t think twice about how an inaccessible building, transportation system, sidewalk or anything can make it difficult or impossible for others to get around. Sadly travel is one of the most inaccessible hobbies out there.

Consider:

• Do you have a disability that prevents you from traveling or makes it more difficult/expensive? Do you ever have to think about mobility or how you’ll get from point A to point B when traveling? Do you need an attendant to administer care? Do you have special medication that makes travel difficult? Do you have to limit yourself to certain activities because they aren’t accessible or it’ll cause too much pain?

If you’ve never had to think about accessibility or how an activity will impact your health, you enjoy a special advantage not everyone has.

5. Mental Health.

A person’s mental health and well-being has an incredibly large impact on their way of life. For some, mental health or illness may limit their ability to travel.

Consider:

• Do you have to worry about travel disrupting a self-care routine which in turn may have a negative impact on your mental health? Do you have a mental illness that prevents you from traveling? Do you constantly have to validate your needs to others who don’t understand because mental health is invisible?

If you can make travel plans without considering your mental health, you enjoy a special advantage not everyone has.

6. Religion.

In a world of religious persecution and generalizations of entire religious groups, many people may feel unsafe or like a target solely based on their religion.

Consider:

• Have you ever been scared to be honest about your religion? Feared persecution for a stereotype or preconceived idea of what people of your religion believe? Feared for your life due to your religious differences? Been harassed for your religious identity? Felt in danger for your religious identity?

If you can live your life without ever thinking about how your religion will affect it, you enjoy a special advantage not everyone has.

7. Gender Identification.

If your gender identification matches your biological sex, you may not realize the significant hardships people who don’t share that same privilege face. If you are a man, you also may not realize some of the unique hardships women face.

Consider:

• Does the gender you identify with match your biological assignment? Do you ever fear harassment due to your gender, biological or otherwise? Have you been catcalled, made to feel uncomfortable, or abused for your gender? Do others treat you as less capable because of your gender? Are you scared to travel solo or to certain destinations because of your gender? Do you avoid walking alone in certain places at certain times because of your gender?

If you never have to worry about how your gender may garner harassment or affect your daily plans, you enjoy a special advantage not everyone has.I’ve encountered people from all different walks of life in my adventures abroad.

I’ve been privileged to have such an opportunity to see first hand my own social and travel advantages in comparison to others around the world. And while having privilege isn’t inherently any one person’s fault, I think as free thinking individuals it’s our responsibility to strive to understand it. So all this to say, I’m asking that we do our best to reflect on how our privileges may impact our ability to travel and accomplish other things in life.

To share our experiences in a more inclusive way. Let’s stop making others feel like they’re living lesser lives if their travel map isn’t quite as full. For many people, travel – among other things – may be more difficult to achieve for reasons outside of their control.

Through recognizing our own privilege, we can begin to change. From having more open discussions with peers and recognizing that these advantages and disadvantages exist, we begin to understand. And from understanding, comes empathy and change.

The world is sorely in need of empathy + change, don’t you think?