Equity vs. Equality and why it matters

How removing diversity, equity, and inclusivity makes us less safe, less great, more stupid.

Recently, I had an exchange with a person in MAGA-land. Let’s call him Chris, because that’s his name. It wasn’t a terrible exchange as these exchanges go. But it did set me to thinking about several things. The exchange actually started when I made a comment on a MAGA post about the importance of critical thinking. Chris responded to me by saying something about free thinking - which he claimed was the same as critical thinking. I politely corrected him. Then he left a note on my most recent post found here:

And his comment was: Nobody's rejecting anything. What they're saying is that equality already exists, the DEI is a nefarious agenda. This is designed to divide people, not bring them together. And it's working. The only success DEI ideologues can trumpet is the fact that they have isolated white people (particularly the lower classes) to such a degree that they have resurrected racism. They have also made some ethnic people eugenics purporters of black superiority. The entire dogma is dangerous, in the vane of Nazism.

I replied by asking him to provide evidence (eg. use critical thinking) to support his assertion. He has not replied.

So, I thought it would be good to have a discussion about Equity vs. Equality. I did a blog on Diversity, Equity, Inclusiveness, and Accessibility a while ago. Here’s the link:

I don’t want to just re-hash this. I want to bring attention to this assertion that Chris made that, “…equality already exists….” Does it? But before I do that, I have to add one thing. His statement that “Nobody’s rejecting anything” is a bald faced lie. What he means to say, I think, is that White men never accepted diversity, equity, and inclusiveness, therefore they cannot reject what they never accepted. That doesn’t make his statement any more true, because diversity, equity, and inclusion are in many of our laws and regulations…or were until this fascist regime took over.

Let’s get back to equity v. equality. Let me try to illustrate how wrong this is.

The Whole Story of Equity v. Equality

In the above picture, generally we only see the two middle boxes. But I wanted to include this expanded view because I think it paints a more accurate picture of how things stand. The reality is that we are still pretty much in box one: Reality. The big guy is on a stack of boxes and the little guy is not only not on a box, but actually in a hole. This is much closer to reality for most people of color as well as other minority groups. Now, Chris says that equality already exists. And in some places perhaps he is right. But the E in DEI does not stand for equality. It stands for Equity. The third box demonstrates equity. I guess the MAGA crowd dismiss the fact that people are different.

A few examples might help to illustrate the difference between equality and equity.

In education, equality would be giving every student the same textbook. Equity might mean providing students with materials that benefit students with low vision, dyslexia, or other supports that meet their individual needs. In schools, students are often given Individual Education Plan, or IEPs. Their parent’s political views are not called into question for these IEPs. They are intended to provide basic assistance to students who may need additional support. It is not uncommon for a student to need additional time on tests or assignments. This is not a reflection on their intelligence at all. It is simply that they have needs that other students may not have. Like ADHD, for instance.

In the workplace, equality might mean every worker gets the same training opportunities. Equity means workers from underrepresented groups might have access to mentors, materials in their own language, and other resources so they are on a level playing field.

Healthcare equality may mean giving everyone access to the same doctors and hospitals. Equity means providing culturally competent care, providing a translator if necessary, looking at health disparities, and making sure everyone has access to the resources they need to maintain their health.

So, sure, one might say that equality already exists, but they are missing the point. The point is, we can do better. We have done better in some fields. Unfortunately, when you start talking about making sure people have access to the resources they need for education, work, and healthcare - you’re talking about money to fund those resources. And that is where MAGA and this regime differ from people who actually want to see all people thrive.

It is a well known fact that if billionaires paid their fair share of taxes, we could cut down on disparities in education, healthcare, housing, employment drastically. And we’re not talking about exorbitant amounts of taxes. We are talking about 2% to 5% on the wealthiest individuals in the country.¹

Instead, the regime is looking at cutting programs that provide support to seniors, children, persons with disabilities, mental health care, and so on. Much of this will fall disproportionately on MAGA voters. Ironically, the people who the buffoon and his ilk have infected the most with their grievance politics are the very ones who get the most from government supports. And now, the buffoon is stripping them away.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

It might be instructive to look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and consider where the United States was under Biden, and where Trump seems to be taking us now.

Maslow’s idea is that people seek to have their most basic needs met before they can begin to seek to have other needs, higher up the pyramid, met. In a perfect world, people would have their basic needs met, then be able to focus on social needs, self-esteem, and maybe even self actualization. Of course, we do not live in a perfect world.

In my opinion, Biden sought to move us up the pyramid by working to fulfill more people’s access to healthcare, adequate food and water, and shelter. His infrastructure plan was working well. He received no credit for it, but it was working, primarily in “red” states. Healthcare does better under democrats, no mistake about that. And was doing better under Biden.

Trump and the Republicans seem to be moving us down the pyramid. Social needs are being removed from people of color, LGBTQ+ persons, and anyone the regime deems to be “less than.” Through his idiotic tariffs, Trump has introduced long term pain for anyone who is looking for a house or a car or even basic groceries. Food prices have gone up and will likely continue to increase because if there is anything we know about Trump, it is that he cannot admit a mistake. All of the effects of the tariffs and his own executive orders will be blamed on Biden.

The bottom two levels, Physiological Needs and Safety Needs represent the basic needs people seek to have met. Take a look at what is included in those two levels and consider - how are we doing as a nation? Honestly…not all that great. There are a lot of people who rely on government and other social supports to have their basic needs met, and even then let’s not fool ourselves. Not everyone has those basic needs met.

What is the regime doing in terms of basic needs? Removing access to them. For instance, our Agriculture department is no longer concerned with food safety. This will affect everyone. By firing workers in several federal programs, the regime has dramatically increased the possibility of food related illnesses. Deporting immigrants, undocumented or otherwise, will likely have a significant impact on food sources as there will be fewer farm-workers to work fields and gather crops from those fields. That is just one department and it is by no means an exhaustive look at the Agriculture department.

Nearly every executive order issued by Trump has had a negative effect on the most vulnerable among us. We are certainly not living in an age where equality already exists as Chris asserted above. And equity is vilified and labeled “discriminatory and illegal” by this regime. This regime seeks to return us to the dark ages. Science is questionable, voices are silenced, and only the wealthiest among us matter.

We need to keep fighting. It gets tiring, I know. But we cannot let them have their way. And by them, I mean this regime and the billionaires who support them. We need a complete overhaul of this regime. Everyone single one of them out. And we need to think about how we want our country to look going forward. Do we want to provide for people equitably, so we can all move forward together? Or do we want to keep thinking in terms of equality and end up where we are today?

I hope we are willing to do what is necessary to make sure that all of us move forward together.

Grading is calling.

And knowledge is power.

Thanks for reading.

Greg

1. Taxing Extreme Wealth Factsheet. Fight Inequality. https://www.fightinequality.org/sites/default/files/2022-01/Taxing-Extreme-Wealth-What-It-Would-Raise-What-It-Could-Pay-For.pdf