EQUALITY VS EQUITY: SHOULD WE DITCH EQUALITY?

Reading time: 5 min

Two terms you’ll hear a lot in the world of DEIB+  are equality and equity - and you’ve got to know the difference between the two if you’ve got any hope of handling DEIB+ issues with grace.

First of all, let’s figure out why this matters. Do you actually need to know the difference to be successful in the DEIB+ field? The short answer is yes, because unless we know, we can’t drive DEIB+ initiatives. The “E” in DEIB+ stands for equity, after all - not equality, as some people mistakenly believe.

So, let’s get straight into this with an understanding of the two terms, and then cover why it matters so much.

What is equality?

Equality is a term a lot of us learn about in early life. It means a situation where you treat two individuals the same. For example, if you have two children, you might buy them the same toy for Christmas. If you have two employees, you might make sure that they get the same salary. There are many situations that call for equality, and it’s a very valuable concept.

Across the world, a lot of countries have introduced equality laws to try to make sure citizens from all walks of life are being treated fairly. Despite that, it’s worth noting that only 14 countries currently have laws that give women full equal rights with men. That’s a very small number!

However, equality laws are a crucial part of helping to ensure that organizations are complying with DEIB+ efforts and maximizing fairness. Equal pay and equal opportunity laws have helped millions across the globe enjoy better, fairer conditions. That’s not just in terms of work; there are many other areas where equality laws benefit people. It’s not just women, either. Men have benefited from equality laws when it comes to getting custody of their children or improved parental leave, although there’s still a long way to go in terms of this.

So, equality laws sound very beneficial and they certainly are… but why is the “E” for equity, then?

What is equity?

Equity sounds so similar to equality, you’d be forgiven for confusing them, but learning the difference is key. Equity is not about treating two individuals the same, but deliberately treating them differently in a way that will make the overall situation more equitable.

On the surface, that might sound confusing. It seems illogical that treating two people differently could produce a situation that is fairer than you can achieve when treating them the same. However, equity is useful when you have situations that are inherently unfair in ways that we can’t change.

This is where the cardboard box theory comes in. You may have seen this image before, illustrating just why equity is so important.

Image: Interaction Institute for Social Change | Artist: Angus Maguire

In the image above, you see three people trying to look over a fence - one tall, one medium height, and one short. Equality states that you must give each of them a box that is the same size. Now, the tall person is balanced dangerously high up, while the medium person is at the right height to look over the fence. The short person still can’t see what’s going on.

Here, equality isn’t working to make the situation fair. People who have inbuilt disadvantages are still missing out. Instead, to truly equalize the situation, we have to treat the people differently.

We therefore give each person a different box. The tall person gets no box at all because they can already see over the fence. The medium person gets a small box. The short person gets a large box. All three are brought to the same height and can see over the fence.

This is why we need equity, not equality in many cases. Many situations are inherently unfair and treating people equally is not as good as it sounds on the surface. It results in some being given help that they don’t need, and others getting insufficient help. The outcomes are not effective!

Why don’t we ditch equality then?

Equity is beneficial for all of us because there are times when we all need a bit of help! By prioritizing equity, we can make sure that natural disadvantages don’t cause us to fall behind in unfair ways, allowing everybody to contribute to society.

So, why do we opt for both equity and equality if equity is so much better? The short answer is that it’s very situation-dependent. There are cases where we need blanket laws that ensure people are treated equally, such as requiring equal pay for men and women. There are also situations where we have to treat people equitably so that they can thrive and succeed in a world that is inherently unbalanced. By bringing intelligence and nuance to the conversation, we can figure out which is right for any situation. We all need to recognize that it’s only through a blend of equity and equality that we can really make the world fair.

What’s your take? Does equality still have a place, or is equity the only way forward?

Time to get hands-on!

2 practical examples of equality vs. equity

In the classroom: A teacher is showing the class how to solve an equation. She explains the equation once and most of the class understands. However, the child with ADHD was having trouble focusing on the verbal explanation and has no idea what to do. If the teacher is treating her students equally, she shouldn’t offer extra help to one student unless she offers it to all. If she treats them equitably, she can offer extra help to offset natural difficulties and bring everybody up to the same level.

In the workplace: You expect workers to complete one of their standard tasks in 30 minutes or less in most cases. However, you have one worker with a disability which means they tend to be slower at this particular task, although they are fine in other areas. Treating them equitably would involve giving them more time to complete the task.