This document discusses the differences between equality, privilege, and equity. Equality means treating everyone the same, but it fails to account for individuals starting from different places and having different needs. Privilege refers to unearned benefits given to members of dominant social groups. Equity aims to promote fairness by giving each person what they need to succeed, leveling the playing field and counteracting unequal opportunities that result from differences in birth circumstances outside of one's control. The document argues equity, not equality, leads to the fairest outcomes.
This document discusses the differences between equality, privilege, and equity. Equality means treating everyone the same, but it fails to account for individuals starting from different places and having different needs. Privilege refers to unearned benefits given to members of dominant social groups. Equity aims to promote fairness by giving each person what they need to succeed, leveling the playing field and counteracting unequal opportunities that result from differences in birth circumstances outside of one's control. The document argues equity, not equality, leads to the fairest outcomes.
This document discusses the differences between equality, privilege, and equity. Equality means treating everyone the same, but it fails to account for individuals starting from different places and having different needs. Privilege refers to unearned benefits given to members of dominant social groups. Equity aims to promote fairness by giving each person what they need to succeed, leveling the playing field and counteracting unequal opportunities that result from differences in birth circumstances outside of one's control. The document argues equity, not equality, leads to the fairest outcomes.
THE STATE OF BEING EQUAL, ESPECIALLY IN STATUS, RIGHTS, OR
OPPORTUNITIES. Equality is treating everyone the same. Equality aims to promote fairness, but it can only work if everyone starts from the same place and needs the same help. Notice how each fan has been given an EQUAL boost, but 2 of them still cannot see the match. In this case, treating everyone exactly the same actually isnt fair. NOT EVERYONE STARTS AT THE SAME PLACE, AND NOT EVERYONE HAS THE SAME NEEDS.
Since everyone is different and we embrace
these differences as unique, we must also redefine our basic expectations for fairness and success depending upon those individual differences. A Real World Example Some people will need a language translator when speaking to a government agency and others will not. And it wouldnt be fair to just provide Spanish translators just because it is the foreign language most people speak. A Spanish translator would not allow a Dutch speaker the same access to opportunities.
That would be privilege.
SO WHAT THE HECK IS PRIVILEGE? PRIVILEGE is set of unearned benefits given to people who fit into a specific social group. There are many types of privilege. (We could do a whole separate assembly just on recognising privilegeJus sayin.) Privilege is created when society makes decisions that benefit enough people, but not all people. So realistically, when it comes to fairness, we need to think about the concept of EQUITY! What is Equity? Equity is giving everyone what they need to be successful. Equity appears unfair, but it actively moves everyone closer to success by leveling the playing field. Often those in more privileged positions complain that equity is not fair. But this is a misunderstanding. Equity is not equal, but it is fair. People do not control the environment into which they are born. If you are born in a poor, high crime area or a disadvantaged cultural group then why should you suffer worse in life than the person who was born into advantage (neither of you have done anything to deserve either of them). This is NOT fair, and so resources are distributed unevenly in order to achieve fair outcomes in life. Equity is the idea of being just, even-handed and impartial. Equity recognizes differences, and attempts to counteract unequal individual opportunities by ensuring that people have what they need. This levels the playing field of life so that we all have equal opportunities to succeed.