Equity vs. Equality

| CHALLENGE | DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3 | DAY 4 | DAY 5 | DAY 6 | DAY 7 | DAY 8 | DAY 9 | DAY 10 |

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In Days 1-7 of the Racial Justice Challenge we discussed some ways equity and equality impact different communities, access to housing, and various aspects in our own lives. Often, these large, overarching concepts of equity and equality take center stage when talking about racial and social justice. These terms are frequently used interchangeably, but they represent distinct approaches to achieving social justice. Understanding the difference between equity and equality is crucial for policymakers, educators, and individuals alike. As we move through our collective learning journey, it’s important to understand the definitions of equity and equality, their implications, and why it is essential to recognize and address their differences.

Equality: A Level Playing Field

Equality, in its simplest form, refers to treating everyone the same way regardless of their circumstances or needs. It’s about ensuring all individuals have access to the same resources, opportunities, and privileges without discrimination or bias. The principle of equality promotes fairness by eradicating discrimination and prejudice based on factors like race, gender, religion, or socioeconomic status.

While equality may sound ideal, it may not always lead to fairness or justice. Treating everyone equally doesn’t take into account the diverse needs, abilities, and starting points of individuals. In many cases, this approach can perpetuate existing inequalities, as it assumes that everyone begins with the same advantages; it doesn’t consider the varying needs or barriers faced by different individuals or groups. 

Equity: Recognizing & Addressing Disparities

Equity, on the other hand, acknowledges that people have different circumstances and require different levels of support to reach the same goals. It seeks to rectify historical and systemic injustices by addressing the root causes of disparities and achieve fairness by providing the necessary resources or opportunities to address these differences.

Equity often involves the redistribution of resources or opportunities to correct existing imbalances, whereas equality may not address such imbalances directly.

Implications

Fairness vs. Sameness

Equity is about achieving fairness by addressing individual needs, while equality focuses on sameness, treating everyone identically. Recognizing and accommodating differences is essential to promoting true fairness.

Scenario | A classroom has students of varying abilities and needs. The teacher wants to distribute study materials to promote fairness in learning. There are two approaches to achieve this: fairness and sameness.

With the fairness approach, the teacher recognizes that each student has unique strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles. To ensure fairness, the teacher assesses the individual needs of each student and tailors the study materials accordingly. Fairness means providing each student with what they need to succeed, even if it means differentiating the support and resources based on their individual requirements.

In the sameness approach, the teacher treats all students identically, providing them with the exact same study materials and resources, regardless of their unique learning needs. While this approach aims for equality through uniform treatment, it might lead to unequal outcomes, as not all students have the same abilities or challenges.

Systemic Change

Equity often requires systemic change to eliminate the root causes of inequality, such as discrimination, poverty, or lack of access to education. Equality may tackle surface-level issues but may not address the underlying problems.

Scenario 1 | In a city’s public transportation system, an equality-based system change involves providing the same number of buses and routes to every neighborhood, regardless of population density or demand.

While this approach may seem fair, it can lead to inefficiencies. Some neighborhoods with higher population density may experience overcrowded buses and longer wait times, while others with lower demand have underutilized routes.

Scenario 2 | An equitable system change recognizes the diverse transportation needs of different neighborhoods through assessments, commuter patterns, and demand in each neighborhood and intends to address them accordingly.

• The equitable approach ensures that public transportation services are tailored to the specific needs of each neighborhood, promoting efficiency and reducing disparities in service quality. It acknowledges that different areas have different transportation needs and adapts the system accordingly.

Short-Term vs. Long-Term

Equality can provide immediate results by giving everyone the same resources, but it may not lead to lasting change. Equity seeks to create sustainable, long-term solutions that break the cycle of inequality.

Issue | A city is facing a housing affordability crisis, with many lower-income families struggling to find decent, affordable housing. As a short-term equitable solution, the city government decides to implement an affordable housing voucher program to run for 1-3 years for lower-income families that can be used to subsidize rental costs.

Lower-income families can immediately access better housing options. It provides immediate relief to those in crisis, preventing homelessness and improving living conditions, but does not address the underlying shortage of affordable housing. It’s a necessary stopgap measure.

Issue | The city recognizes relying solely on vouchers is not a sustainable long-term solution. They need a more comprehensive approach to address the root causes of the housing crisis, which includes working with developers and adjusting zoning regulations.

Over time, the city sees an increase in the supply of affordable housing. As more affordable units become available, the demand for vouchers decreases. Lower-income residents have more stable, long-term housing options. It addresses the root causes of the housing crisis by increasing the supply of affordable housing over time. This strategy promotes sustained equity in housing access.

The short-term solution of affordable housing vouchers provides immediately to those in need, while the long-term solution of affordable housing development aims to tackle the broader issue of housing affordability by creating more equitable housing opportunities for the community over the years. Both short-term and long-term strategies are important for addressing complex social issues like housing affordability.

Inclusivity

Equity encourages inclusivity by valuing diversity and addressing the unique needs of marginalized groups. Equality, while well-intentioned, may inadvertently perpetuate the disadvantages faced by these groups.

Scenario 1 | A company aims to provide equal inclusivity for all employees by implementing the same workplace accommodations for everyone, which includes adjustable desks, ergonomic chairs, and remote options. Every employee received the same training in the same format related to diversity and inclusion.

While this approach treats all employees the same, it may not fully address the unique needs and challenges that some employees face, particularly those with disabilities. It may lead to some employees feeling underserved or excluded.

Scenario 2 | Another company focuses on providing equitable inclusivity by tailoring accommodations and policies to individual employee needs. This includes screen readers, sign language interpreters, and flexible policies based on individual circumstances. Diversity and inclusion training is delivered in various formats, ensuring that all employees, including those with different learning styles or needs will benefit.

Employees with disabilities have an equal opportunity to succeed and contribute, as their diverse needs are acknowledged and addressed. Equitable inclusivity aims to create a work environment where all employees can thrive based on their individual strengths and challenges.

While equal inclusivity treats all employees uniformly, equitable inclusivity recognizes that employees have different needs and strives to provide tailored support and accommodations to ensure a level playing field for all employees, regardless of their abilities or circumstances.

Understanding the distinction between equity and equality is crucial. While both equity and equality aim to promote fairness, they do so through different approaches. Equality promotes fairness through equal treatment, equity goes a step further by recognizing and addressing the diverse needs and starting points of individuals.

Achieving true social justice often requires both principles as they complement each other in creating a more inclusive and fair world. By acknowledging these differences and working to implement both principles where necessary, we can move closer to a society where everyone has a fair chance to thrive, regardless of their background or circumstances.

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Additional learning:

[article] The Emotional Toll of Racism

[article] Racism takes a toll on the brain, research shows

[interactive tool] Professional Quality of Life

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