Ever heard of the term "adultism?" You may have, you may not have. However, I'm personally going to wager that you haven't, because children and young adults under the age of 18 (or 25) are not generally considered a marginalized group.
But alas... we are. And in much the same way as recognizing white privilege helps white people to be better allies to minorities, or how recognizing male privilege helps men to be better allies to women, recognizing (and checking) adult privilege will help adults to be better allies to children and young adults, as well as advance the many child protection initiatives out there today.
Without further ado... 17 examples of adult privilege. (There are likely more, but I stopped at 17 because it's somewhat meaningful.
1. You have the right to vote.
2. People in general take what you say into account. (Ever felt like your parents or other adults aren't listening to you? They're probably not.)
3. You are not accused of being "disrespectful" for having a differing opinion from that of an older person.
4. Your life's issues are not marginalized because of your age...
5. ... nor are any bad moods/problems you have blamed on your age. (These two seem to overlap with ageism of elders... for every bratty/moody teenager, there's a grouchy old man/woman.)
6. Most famous personalities tend to be your age.
7. When people your age achieve something, they are not held up as "unusual" or "remarkable" because of their age.
8. You are legally allowed to consent to sex. (Whether this is right or not, I'm not getting into (I personally agree with 16 as a good consenting age), but the fact is, it is a privilege.)
9. Violence is not considered "necessary discipline."
10. It is easier for you to find employment.
11. Your age group tends to get greater/more positive representation in media. (See numbers 4 and 5)
12. You are legally allowed to buy and consume alcohol and tobacco products. (See the side note on number 8.)
13. You are not usually expected to get permission from a third party to make certain decisions.
14. Characters your age in media tend to be played by actors/actresses your age, not someone drastically older.
15. Your age group is not universally blamed for modern problems in society.
16. You are legally entitled to your own decision-making, and do not need a special law to gain the freedom to act on this right.
17. Your intelligence is not called into question because of your age. (Ever heard an adult say "kids are stupid?" There ya go.)
That's the end of my list. What other examples of adult privilege can you think of? Feel free to leave 'em in the comments.
