Equality is not the same thing as equity.

In Inclusive Conversations, Mary-Frances Winters defines them as the following:

• Equality - treating everyone the same

• Equity - treating people according to what they need and deserve

Treating everyone the same overlooks the fact that everyone is unique and that their circumstances are unique. It assumes that the world exists in absolutes. We are taught to believe that one-size-fits-all. It's almost like an easy way out, by looking at the problem of inclusion and fairness one-dimensionally.

Let's take the example of owning up to mistakes. In an ideal world, we can say we are cultivating environments where everyone feels psychologically safe to share that they've made a mistake with their colleagues and bosses.

We'd like to think everyone can feel equally comfortable doing so. In reality, the feeling of safety is not the same between someone in a position of power higher up in the hierarchy and someone who started 3 weeks ago in an entry level position.

The consequences of speaking up and admitting to a mistake are not equal between the two people. The support systems are also not the same. Hence, the level of safety is actually not the same - regardless of our best intentions in providing the safest (and the same) environment.

In this regard, we often neglect to realize that creating equitable conditions often means not treating everyone "the same."

It reminds me of this quote by Kimberlé Crenshaw, "Treating different things the same can generate as much inequality as treating the same things differently."

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While these definitions of equality and equity were meant for use in the DEI space, these concepts can extend beyond it and have meta-implications throughout many aspects of our work lives.  

We think all musicians want the same things out of their work, so motivate everyone using the same tactics (usually money). We think that all concert programs require the same amount of rehearsal time, so we are rigid about the boundaries of length and number of services. We think all audiences are buying tickets for the same reasons, so we market to them the same way. We think all employees care about the same benefits, so we think everyone needs the same things. And sometimes in doing all these, we end up caring about no one.

We think too often in terms of equality instead of equity. 

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Equity is hard work because it requires time, learning, understanding, adjusting, trying, and sometimes failing. 

Here are 4 steps to get started toward equity:

1. Begin with a mindset that people need and deserve different things. Once we start thinking this way, it becomes complicated very quickly and we can lose the motivation to keep going. I understand it is a challenge. It is also a challenge because we see the world through only our own lenses. We must take off our own lenses and put on their lenses. This is the essence of empathy.

1. Ask ourselves: In what ways are we assuming all our people need the same things. We might need to recruit our people to help us see our blindspots.

1. Ask the people: What needs to happen in order for each individual to feel safe, heard, helped, and supported? We might be surprised at how vastly different these responses can be.

1. Reflect on how we can actually provide the people with those individual needs in the ways they articulated. 

After step 4, we can start implementing possible solutions. We might not get it right at first, and that is OK. And we cannot realistically cater to every single need, but we can move the needle with one or two.

Sometimes it may be as simple as one musician needing their music they read to be blown up to 110%. What are those little things that we can care about that make massive differences?

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