Death Denial Is a Privilege—And It’s Time We Acknowledge That

If you’ve never had to think about death, that’s a luxury

Let’s be real: most of us avoid thinking about death. We change the subject. We joke. We scroll past. But not everyone has that option.

For many communities—Black, brown, Indigenous, chronically ill, disabled, queer, or marginalized in any way—death is not theoretical. It’s not “someday.” It’s present. Immediate. Sometimes even expected.

And yet our culture still treats death like it’s optional to engage with.

Death denial is built on privilege

Let's start the conversation. What are you doing to stop denying the inevitable?

It’s easier to avoid death when you feel safe

If your life feels structurally protected—if you don’t have to worry about being criminalized, neglected, or denied care—then death probably doesn’t loom over your daily decisions. That distance is privilege.

“Let’s not talk about that” is a power move

When someone says “this is too dark” or “let’s stay positive,” they might mean well. But too often, that silencing erases the lived reality of people for whom death is already at the table.

Grief is not evenly distributed

Not everyone gets to grieve in peace. Some people must grieve while surviving systemic violence, medical trauma, incarceration, or poverty.

Some families don’t get to plan beautiful memorials. They fundraise for burials, fight over bodies, or face legal barriers just to access their loved one’s remains.

When we deny death—or dress it up only for the privileged—we widen the gap between who gets to die well and who doesn’t.

So what do we do about it?

We talk about it

Normalize conversations about death across race, class, and ability lines. Don’t wait for a diagnosis or tragedy. Create space now.

We plan for it

Planning for death—our own or others’—isn’t morbid. It’s protective. It’s loving. And it’s especially important in communities where systems have failed to provide care.

We include everyone

Death planning tools should be accessible. That means language access, cultural sensitivity, and affordability. Legacy isn’t just for the wealthy.

This is personal—and it’s political

Death denial keeps us disconnected. From each other. From justice. From the urgency of what’s at stake.

To talk about death honestly is to talk about inequality.To plan for death is to reclaim agency in a system that often strips it away.

Legacy belongs to everyone

At Memorial Tribute Legacy, we believe death planning should be inclusive, intuitive, and human.

Whether you’re 28 or 88, whether you come from privilege or not, your story matters—and so does how it’s remembered.

Ready to reclaim the conversation?

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Comment below.