Social Identity and Privilege Reference Guide

Are you curious about who has privilege and who doesn’t, or how privilege shapes advantages and disadvantages? Perhaps you’re wondering how privilege across identities ties into systems of oppression or seeking to understand core human identities like race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality.

In a world shaped by interconnected systems of power, privilege, and oppression, understanding your positionality—the unique combination of identities and experiences that define how you navigate the world—is essential. The Positionality Reference Guide is a high-level tool to summarize and frame some of the most common social and cultural identities around privilege and oppression. An intersectional lens is used throughout the guide to explain how overlapping identities, such as race, gender, and class, interact to shape individual experiences and systemic dynamics.

While it doesn’t deliver exhaustive details, it is an excellent starting point for reflection and awareness, helping readers begin their journey toward understanding positionality and systemic dynamics. To deepen your understanding of systems, explore our 4-I Framework for analyzing oppression, and read Magic Mirror: Nine Practices to Be a Better Leader, Colleague, Educator, Neighbor, Friend, and More.

The downloadable reference guide at the end of this page is an excerpt from Magic Mirror Workbook: A Reflective Journey through the Positionality Prism’s Nine Practices. It is an excellent resource for educators and facilitators teaching privilege, oppression, and positionality.

Here’s what’s inside the guide: 

Why Positionality Matters

Understanding positionality isn’t just about identifying where you stand—it’s about recognizing the systems that shape our experiences and those of others. This awareness enables us to challenge stereotypes, disrupt inequities, and build stronger, more inclusive communities. As the Positionality Reference Guide emphasizes, identities are dynamic, evolving, and multi-faceted. Learning to navigate this complexity is a vital skill for both personal and professional growth.

Take the Next Step

Learning about your positionality is just the beginning. Pair the insights from the Positionality Reference Guide with hands-on experiences by:

Download the Guide

Ready to begin your journey toward understanding and action? Download the Positionality Reference Guide PDF and start exploring today. Together, we can create spaces where everyone can thrive.

Download the Positionality Reference Guide

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positionality reference guide handout 2

Thanks to Lauren Jones for the nudge to create the Dimensions of Identity Table to help readers understand who has privilege and who does not.

Meagan Pollock, PhD

Dr. Meagan Pollock envisions a world where personal and social circumstances are not obstacles to achieving potential, and where kindness, inclusivity, and conservation prevail.

An international speaker, teacher, engineer, and equity leader, her mission is to provide services, tools, and resources that inspire awareness and initiate action.

As an engineer turned educator, Meagan Pollock is focused on engineering equity into education and the workforce.

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