#Embrace Equity - Tokenistic or a call to action?

This year’s international women’s day theme is #EmbraceEquity. I have noticed some criticism about the theme, suggesting it doesn’t effectively represent the effort and persistence required to create the required changes. Or perhaps conveying that we have already achieved equity and should celebrate. So why even have an International Women’s Day?

Having a significant event / milestone in a year is a way to spotlight a topic. It’s a way to draw in the attention of a broader audience with the hope of sparking their interest to get involved – be part of the solution. It is true that a single event will not progress or sustain change. That is why it’s important that we do more than just have a morning or afternoon tea.

Why are we talking about equity? Don’t we mean equality? Well unfortunately today these terms are incorrectly used interchangeably – but they mean quite different things.

Equity or equality?

If you look up equity in various dictionaries you will find it is a noun and means fairness. Drill further and you will find descriptions such as:

"justice according to natural law or right, specifically, freedom from bias or favouritism"

“the situation in which everyone is treated fairly according to their needs and no group of people is given special treatment”

Look up the definition for equality and you will find it is also a noun and means same treatment:

“the quality or state of being equal” and equal means “of the same measure, quantity, amount, or number as another”

“the right of different groups of people to have similar social position and receive the same treatment”

Why do we quate fairness with the same treatment?

David Thomas and Robin Ely published an HBR article 27 years ago (1996) that helps to explain this. They share the shifts in perspectives about diversity over time. Below is my summary of their article. I have relabelled their eras:

1. Discrimination and Fairness i.e., Era of Inequality

2. Acess and Legitimacy i.e., Era of Equality

3. Learning and Effectiveness i.e., Era of Equity and Inclusion.

Leaders are stuck between the eras of InEquality and Equality

My 20+ years of global experience has taught me that despite many people wanting to live in an era of equity and inclusion, many of their leaders and organisations (policies, processes and systems) still operate in the eras of inequality and equality.

The #MeToo, #BLM and anti-racism movements together with the global push for marriage equality and pay equity are stark reminders of this reality.

So, whilst progress has been made since the 1970s – it’s not enough for all marginalised groups.