EQUALITY & EQUITY

Let me start by saying I do not believe in gender equality, but then again when I think about equity I think it’s safe to say that everyone should be treated with love and respect in their own way. But I also believe everyone has their preference, what works for one, might not work for another and we can only find what we deserve when we give others what they deserve. And when I say this, it’s more than just giving a man respect or giving a woman love, it is about giving a person what they deserve. For example, walking into a queue and you find a heavily pregnant woman and a very sickly looking old man with just one chair to sit on, who should be given the chair? Some might argue the old man, others might argue the pregnant woman, but I will say it depends on the current condition of both individuals. And supposing the woman is in labour perhaps she should sit on a chair if she can, and there is also an option for one of them to sit on the floor. I will argue that whoever can sit on the floor conveniently, should leave the chair for the other.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

In my office I have a colleague that uses her femininity as an excuse to not do any lifting. At first I was always pissed off about it until I found out she had an accident and was advised to stay away from lifting heavy things. But there is another of my colleague who saw what she did and decided to do the same, and I found it utterly annoying. Imagine asking help to move a small rubber fan that doesn’t even require any energy within your own office space because you are a lady. If it was my partner doing so I would do it without a second thought, not for someone who just feels she can do anything and get away with it because she’s a lady. I see that as an abuse of one’s right, and let’s be honest a lot of women do this and would do worse if they are given a chance. But this does not just apply to women, I see children abuse their rights on a daily basis using it to extort and steal with their innocent faces.

This is why when we talk about equity and especially gender equity, I see it as a way to not just give every gender their due, but also give them their due as it befits them. The same way a man should be penalized for assault is the same way a woman should be penalized if she assaults a man. It’s equality when this happens, but it’s also equity when the man is given his due justice for his rights being abused. A lot of times it’s not just about making men's voice heard or making women’s voice heard, it’s about making all voices heard because everyone deserves to be heard, and this is not equality because if it were, then men should be permitted to hit back if hit by a woman, this is equity because the man who does not hit back, deserves to be protected from abuse being the one assaulted.

THIS IS MY RESPONSE TO HIVE LEARNER'S PROMPT FOR WEEK 177 EPISODE 3