Fitting the Right Shoes: My Take on Gender Equity
Gender equity
I think to have a better understanding of this, one needs to see the contrast between gender equity and gender equality.
Gender equity is about giving everyone, regardless the gender, equal opportunities and resources to reach a particular outcome. It aims to remove specific barriers that limit. It gives everyone support and the specific needs they need to reach their potential.
On the other hand, gender equality means giving everyone, regardless the gender, the same opportunity and treatment. Heavy on the treatment.
When it comes to equity the gender is still respected, and the differences are rather untouched. It's just like giving everyone shoes that fit them so they can walk in them.
But equality blurs the line between gender and makes it just one. Instead of giving everyone shoes according to their foot size, everyone is just given one size of shoe.
Unlike equity, equality comes with so much controversy, like women being treated like men.
I think in marriage, gender equity is something important for that marriage to stand strong in the long run.
I believe in a marriage if the woman can have the chance to achieve something financially without neglecting her role as the woman of the house, then I see no problem with that.
I believe in a marriage, the woman is the neck that supports the head, and no matter how strong the neck gets, the only problem comes when the neck doesn't want to be a neck anymore.
Equity is very likely to affect financial billing and home management. But I think the main thing comes from the mind. There are some men and women who also strongly believe money defines dominance in a marriage. If a couple loves and supports each other, there would be equity and it wouldn't even be noticed. They don't need to split bills 50-50. It's just all about support and love. If a woman earns more than her husband or even a good amount and sees that her husband needs support in any way, then there is no harm in helping.
In society, women should be allowed to receive equal pay for equal work.
Equal access to education, healthcare, and leadership positions.
Breaking stereotypes in job roles like female engineers, male nurses.
One of the funniest arguments I have had about equity is about men being allowed paternity leave to share childcare responsibilities. I think the argument was mostly about whether it is equality or equity. Sometimes I do get confused, so I try to keep in mind the main difference. If a man needs a paternity leave, then he should get it. In a world of equality, whether a man or a woman needs a leave or not, it isn't really up to their needs. In a world of equality, if a man doesn't get a paternity leave, then a woman wouldn't get a maternity leave if she needs it or not, and if a woman gets a maternity leave, a man gets a paternity leave even when he doesn't need it, just because the woman gets it.
In conclusion, equity benefits everyone, giving both genders support, opportunity and resources to thrive; it's more of teamwork and not a competition.
