Does Equitable Mean Equal?

Imagine you're part of a team working on a project. You all put in hours of effort, and when it's time to divide the rewards, someone suggests distributing them equally. That seems fair, right? Everyone gets the same slice of the pie. But wait—what if not everyone contributed the same amount of work or faced the same challenges? Suddenly, that "equal" division doesn’t seem so fair anymore, does it? This is where the concept of equity comes into play.

Equality means everyone gets the same thing. It doesn't matter what your circumstances are, your needs, or the challenges you’ve faced; everyone receives an identical share. It sounds straightforward, but in practice, it can lead to further inequalities. Equity, on the other hand, means everyone gets what they need to have an equal opportunity. The resources or opportunities are distributed based on individual needs and circumstances, acknowledging that not everyone starts from the same place.

So why does this matter in today’s world? Think about education. Should every student receive the same resources regardless of their socioeconomic background, learning abilities, or access to technology? If we only focus on equality, then every student might get the same textbook, the same amount of teacher time, and the same materials. But what about students who struggle with learning disabilities or those who come from low-income households without access to computers? Equity suggests that some students might need more resources to achieve the same outcomes.

Let's look at another example from the workplace. Consider two employees, Alex and Sam. Both are up for a promotion. They’ve been given equal opportunities to attend leadership training and expand their skill sets. But Sam, who faces mobility challenges, had to spend additional time and energy just commuting to work, dealing with health-related issues, and navigating a less accessible office environment. Shouldn’t the company take these factors into account when considering promotions? Here, equity demands that Sam's additional struggles be acknowledged, and support provided to level the playing field.

To fully grasp the difference between equity and equality, consider this: equality is about uniformity, while equity is about fairness. And fairness isn't always about treating people the same—it’s about recognizing individual needs and circumstances. A famous illustration often used to explain this difference depicts three people of different heights trying to watch a baseball game over a fence. Equality would give them each the same-size box to stand on, regardless of their height. The taller individual can easily see over the fence, but the shorter one still struggles. Equity, however, would give each person a box sized according to their height, ensuring everyone can see the game equally well.

This principle of equity over equality has found its way into various areas of life, from healthcare to social justice, education, and beyond. The pandemic, for example, has amplified the importance of equity in healthcare systems around the world. Early in the pandemic, resources such as personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilators, and vaccines were distributed. If we applied an equal approach, every country, state, or region would get the same amount of resources, regardless of their population size, infection rate, or healthcare infrastructure. An equitable approach, however, would prioritize areas with higher infection rates, more vulnerable populations, and less robust healthcare systems.

But equity is not without its challenges. Critics argue that equity can be difficult to implement because it requires nuanced decision-making. How do you determine who needs what? How do you balance fairness with efficiency? These are difficult questions that policymakers, educators, and business leaders grapple with. The goal of equity is not to create unfair advantages but to eliminate obstacles that prevent individuals from reaching their full potential.

In modern social movements, equity is a central theme. For instance, in the fight for racial and gender equality, activists argue that an equal approach to issues like pay, education, or healthcare overlooks systemic barriers that different groups face. Achieving true fairness requires understanding and addressing these underlying challenges, not just offering equal treatment on the surface.

Take gender pay gaps as another example. If we strictly apply equality, every employee in the same role would be paid the same salary, regardless of gender. But research shows that women, especially women of color, face systemic barriers that men do not. Equity would involve looking at those barriers—such as the unpaid labor women often perform at home, maternity leave, and workplace discrimination—and addressing those factors to ensure that women have the same opportunities for financial success as men.

As society becomes more aware of these differences, the shift from equal to equitable approaches has begun to take center stage. Educational institutions are providing more tailored support for disadvantaged students. Companies are offering flexible working conditions and support systems to employees who face unique challenges. Governments are implementing policies that aim to reduce the disparities in healthcare, housing, and economic opportunities for marginalized communities.

So, does equitable mean equal? Absolutely not. Equality can be a part of equity, but it doesn’t define it. Equity acknowledges that we’re all starting from different places, and fairness means giving people the tools, resources, and opportunities they need to succeed based on their individual circumstances.

Understanding this difference is critical in our efforts to create a more just and fair society. Whether you're looking at social policy, education, or workplace culture, the shift from equality to equity is a powerful tool in addressing deep-rooted inequalities. While equality has its place, equity is the goal we should strive for—a society where everyone, regardless of where they start, has the same opportunity to succeed.