Rethinking Privilege | Mariam Veiszadeh | TEDxSydney

People with the most privilege tend not to admit, or even be aware they have it. Diversity and Inclusion consultant Mariam Veiszadeh explains how privilege and unconscious bias works and offers solutions to levelling the playing field. 


2016 Fairfax Daily Life Woman of the Year, Mariam Veiszadeh is a Lawyer, Diversity & Inclusion Practitioner, Advocate and a Social Commentator. Proud of her refugee background, Mariam is passionate about championing the rights of minority groups in an endeavour to normalise ‘difference’ or rather, normality.

Mariam is an Ambassador for Welcome to Australia, which aims to provide a positive voice in the public conversation around asylum seekers, refugees and multiculturalism.

In 2015, Mariam was selected by Elle Magazine Malaysia as one of 12 women who were helping “change the world”, alongside the likes of Michelle Obama and Angelina Jolie. Mariam was also a finalist in the Daily Life Women of the Year Awards as well as being awarded Westpac’s ‘Woman of Influence’ Award for 2015.

She has been described as a woman who uses her “considerable wit and smarts to punch holes in the stupidity of racism, sexism and xenophobia in general” and someone who has “courage, tenacity and perseverance without the protection and resources afforded by public office.”

As a fearless advocate, Mariam is accustomed to being both an advocate against and a victim of xenophobia. In 2015, she made global headlines as she endured months of cyber-bullying for simply speaking out against bigotry. Australians responded by rallying behind Mariam using the hashtag #IstandwithMariam. Her experiences of cyber-bullying have been cited as a case study in several publications and books including in Tara Moss’ ‘Speaking Out’.

Her influence is felt in the many initiatives she promotes across her social media platforms in which she collectively has close to 50,000 followers.

[b.nalizai]

That was one of the best speach I ever heard, she is a gun, very confident and knowledgeable.

[cooldebt]

What Mariam experienced reveals that we haven't made much progress if we think that anyone who sounds Aussie must be white. I know people who spell their Asian surnames deliberately Anglo so that you cannot tell on a resume that they have Asian ethnicity. Unconscious bias is a thing and people are upset when it is brought up because it is unconscious and is also unfair. No one likes being accused of being unfair but the problem is that no one who benefits from the privilege of not beimg disadvantaged wants things to change - why would they?

[yasnaseri]

I like the Step 2 definition of "Insanity"! GOLD

[zxyatiywariii]

8:18 I have an uncommon name myself, and this definitely happens. However, I'd really like to see it studied in relation to class, too. "Andrew Johnson" isn't just an "Anglo-sounding" name, it's also a bougie-sounding name. If it were more "bogan-sounding", then he, too, would be far less likely to be chosen. That's happened quite often to a friend of mine who has a "bogan-sounding" name.* So it's not only race or religion, but also socioeconomic family origin, too, around which people often face discrimination.

I like the way some places mask the names on an application, so selection is based only on the content of one's resume, not bias based on one's name.

*Edit: He's an Anglo-Celtic guy, I forgot to add. When people meet him and ask his name, he gets the same disconnected reaction as the speaker described in the opening story she shared.

[asianhippy]

What happened with her, often happens to me. I do not look the way people the way people think I should just going off the sound of my voice. I speak English in a very English way. Unless you have seen me, you would expect me to be white. I have never been bothered by this mistake. You're only a victim if chose to be and you can clearly see that she has made her choice.

[djb]

If it's relative and subjective, why are we wasting time talking about it at all? Diversity or else is your "true" meritocracy?!

[MrLMD]

How does a photo collection of powerful people mean anything? Australia is a mostly Caucasian country and immigration really only opened in the last 50 years. The biggest privilege group is elderly people, they grew up in a time of huge economy boom, and could afford houses/good jobs.

[yousahoo]

Video speed 1.5x makes the pain go by faster

[onetwo]

So an anglo saxon upset about affirmative action is wrong?

[albertthewriter]

Some people can't understand how women still so oppress nowadays.

[yasiryonus]

Do not appreciate that nod to Internsectionality theory.

[Wolfrunner]

wow lady, you need to get over yourself. the only thing wrong here is you. the interaction you had with your client was a failing on your part not hers. professional victim much? i am stunned at this to be honest

[MsSpanishaustralian]

The diversity and inclusion space is going downhill in Australia. It’s an embarrassment

[colormedubious]

You whackadoodles finally got one thing right: a successful lawyer who out-earns most people did not admit her "privilege" but, instead, pretended to be some sort of "victim." Well done!

[danielstump]

From her accent, I think she's an Aussie.
But then why is she wearing a raincoat and a big hat?

[StigHelmer]

This woman failed to introduce her self properly and because of this minorities are discriminated? She doesn't come of as a minority, doesn't look or sounds like one.

[nenadtarlac]

What an intellectual lightweight... What did Mariam bring to this discussion, anything new at all?

Nope.