Equity can feel “unfair” to those who already have advantages

If you’ve done any kind of DEI work, you’ve probably seen some version of this diagram showing the difference between equality and equity:

There are other diagrams that don’t equate systemic marginalization with height, however, this diagram makes the point visually in a way that is easy to grasp - equity doesn’t mean that everyone gets the same thing, that is equality.

Equity means everyone gets the supports they need.

And in reality, some people are systemically given far more than the need, while others have far less than they need.

In fact, you could take the “reality” diagram, make everyone the same height, then show how equity in this situation would mean those starting out from below ground need more supports, and not because of anything inherently deficient about them.

You may have seen this diagram multiple times, even my kids have in their classes at school, but for those early on in their DEI journey who did not benefit from an equity informed education, this is a new concept. We’ve found people throw the term “equity” around without truly understanding what it means, or slowing down to find out if there is a shared understanding of the concept.

This is how equity, or affirmative action, gets weaponized as “unfair.”

Equity can feel “unfair” to those who already have advantages that are unearned and invisible to them.

Or, as we say on the slide, equity may feel like oppression to those with privilege.

Now listen, we don’t use the word “privilege” as an insult as some people have come to take it. In fact, we argue that privilege is a fact, and nothing to feel guilty about. It doesn’t mean those with privilege haven’t also worked hard or suffered to earn some of their advantages. It just means that some of those advantages that come with race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, socio-economic status, ethnicity, country of origin, mental and physical ability etc. are unearned or more easily earned than if we were of additional systemically marginalized identities.

The support that other folks need that we don’t can feel unfair because that support is very visible, whereas the support that comes to us in our privileged identities is often invisible, especially when that advantage often comes in the form of a lack of obstacles and barriers.

For example, those of us with the use of our legs don’t have to worry about whether the elevator is working or not. We can get from point A to point B without giving physical obstacles such as stairs or the lack of a curb cut a second thought. That’s an unearned advantage we get simply because we conform to the majority in this particular way.

One of my favorite scenes in Little Fires Everywhere is where… actually you really just need to see it for yourself, preferably in the context of the show, but here’s the scene.

Banner photo by Jason Dent on Unsplash

Equity can feel “unfair” to those who already have advantages

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