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Wheel of Privilege and Power

Graphic that represents the wheel of privilege and power

wheel of priviledge and power
Adapted from James  R Vanderwoerd ("Web of Oppression"), and Sylvia Duckworth ("Wheel of Power/Privilege")

In the center is the word “power”, and on the outside of the wheel is the word “marginalised”. The categories are:

  • Body size, with large on the margins, and slim in the center; 
  • Mental health, with vulnerable on the margins and robust in the center;
  • Neurodiversity, with significant neurodivergence on the margins, and neurotypical in the center; 
  • Sexuality with lesbian, bi, pan, and asexual on the margins, and heterosexual in the center;
  • Ability with a significant disability on the margins, and able-bodied in the center; 
  • Formal education with elementary education on the margins and post-secondary in the center;
  • Skin color with dark on the margins, and white in the center;
  • Citizenship with undocumented on the margins, and citizens in the center;
  • Gender with trans, intersex, and non-binary on the margins and cisgender in the center;
  • Language with non-English monolingual on the margins and English in the center;
  • Wealth with poor on the margins and rich in the center;
  • Housing with homeless on the margins and owning property in the center.

Note: This graphic is not intended to capture all areas of marginalization. The intent is to provide a framework to view power and privilege. As you identify additional areas of marginalization, take time to reflect on how you might represent that within the model.



KeywordsPrivilege, power, diversity, equity, inclusionDoc ID119380
OwnerTimmo D.GroupInstructional Resources
Created2022-06-29 15:43:28Updated2023-12-01 13:59:22
SitesCenter for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring
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