The concept of equality is treating everyone with the same status, rights and opportunities. But how does equality actually affect those who are marginalized? Will we be able to succeed as much as our peers because we have the same tools and resources as they do? Or does it go beyond that? These questions led me to the answer that equality isn’t enough for us. Equality to me can be explained in a simple visual, you give two people a ladder to reach the tree of apples. Person number one is able to reach the apples with ease after stepping up on the ladder. Person number two climbed up the ladder but still can’t reach the apples due to their height. Both were given the exact same tool in order to retrieve the apples, but in the end it only benefited one person. How can we fix this so that they both can enjoy the apples? Simple, by providing the resources that are specific to their needs to be successful. This is Equity by giving person number 2 a taller ladder to reach the apples on the tree. This can be implemented into society and can be more beneficial for everyone.
Equity would have been useful for me when I was invited to attend a brand new design school at 17 years old. I was told it was fully accessible and that I could participate equally like every other student attending. But what happened when I arrived for a tour of the design school? I was met with two flights of supposedly accessible stairs, with nonslip steps and railings. The excuse the design school director gave me was that the disabled students who go to the design school have managed to get up the stairs and that their brother, who is also in a wheelchair, crawled up backwards.
So, let me break this down: to them, equality means that since other disabled students were able to get up the stairs, every student with a disability should be able to do the same. For me, I have a muscle-wasting disability; I am not paralyzed from the waist down. I have overall body weakness, so there is no way for me to crawl up backwards. But why would that even be an expectation for me? For anyone?
Another way to think of this is if able-bodied students were told to climb a rope to the second floor to attend class. Half the class managed, so why can’t you? Everyone was given the exact same rope, so it should work for you too, right?
This act of equality diminished the tools and resources I needed to attend this design school successfully by lumping my disability with others just because those stairs worked for them. Side note - They eventually did put an elevator in but we had to fight for it. I called this elevator the death trap because I nearly fell to my death when the doors opened on the second story, revealing an empty shaft. But that's a story for another day.
This experience taught me a crucial lesson: true inclusion requires more than just treating everyone the same—it demands an understanding and accommodation of individual needs. This principle applies not only to physical accessibility but also to how we approach activism and communication.
Moving on, this is why a lot of my activism focuses on equity because equality alone isn't enough like I have previously said. My path to success and effective activism will differ from yours or anyone else's, reflecting our appropriate needs and circumstances is the way to ensure everyone has a fair shot at achieving their goals. In saying that, I wanted to emphasize an important point about communication. Many people, including myself, find it challenging to express themselves orally and effectively convey their thoughts. For me, I often experience moments of blanking out or severe dissociation when talking to a lot of people.
In contrast, writing and artistic expression are where I truly come alive. These mediums allow me to fully articulate my emotions, values, and ideas for societal change. I know this is the same for others, especially those who are neurodivergent.
Ive learned that activism is not linear, you can still be just as loud without having to physically speak. Realizing this as someone who is neurodivergent has allowed me to acknowledge the change I am doing. Artistic expression is my true form of activism, where I feel like I’m heard and seen the most. Speaking has never been my strong suit but writing and drawing gave me my voice. By giving activists the exact same podiums to speak about what’s important to them will diminish those who choose artistic expression to be their voice to implement change. If we are given the same tools and resources for our activism, only some will succeed at being heard. How can we fix this? Again by using equity. Giving those with different forms of activism the accommodations that are needed in order for them to succeed at being heard. To acknowledge that all forms of activism are valid.
While equality aims to provide everyone with the same opportunities, it often falls short for those with different challenges and needs. My experiences at the design school and in my activism journey highlight the critical importance of equity. This is why we need to strive for equity over equality because we all deserve the right tools and resources that cater to our specific needs so we ALL can reach the tree of apples. (Unless oranges are your thing)
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