Is Fairness Equal?

We’ve all heard the phrase “everyone deserves an equal chance.” It sounds fair. Noble, even. But what if giving everyone the same thing doesn’t make things fair? 

Imagine inviting three friends to watch a football game behind a fence. You hand each one a box to stand on. One friend is tall and sees perfectly. Another is average height and just barely catches the view. The last one is short and even with the box still sees nothing. 

Well, that’s equality; everyone got the same. But only one truly benefited. Now imagine adjusting the boxes, two for the shortest, one for the middle, and none for the tallest. Everyone sees the game clearly. Now, that’s equity. It feels different, right?

Equality treats us as if we’re all starting from the same line. But life doesn’t work like that. Some people start the race with brand-new sneakers. Others have no shoes at all. 

Some inherit networks, wealth, or education. Others inherit trauma, silence, or struggle. That’s why equal opportunities alone don’t always work. Equity, on the other hand, asks a more human question: What does each person need to truly thrive?

In our relationships, jobs, communities and even within marriage or friendship, this difference plays out daily. Say two coworkers both have new babies. The company offers a standard parental leave: three weeks. One has family support, a car, and a healthy baby. 

The other is a single parent with medical complications and no support system. Same leave, but who really copes better? The answer is obvious. Equal treatment doesn’t always mean just treatment.

When we begin to embrace equity, we move beyond checklists. We stop pretending fairness is copy-paste. We start seeing people, really seeing them. I mean, their history, their pain, their efforts and their unique journey. 

We stop rewarding privilege blindly and start balancing the scales with intention. That’s where real justice begins. And it’s not just about charity. It’s about deliberately shaping systems, policies, and relationships to close the gaps, not ignore them.

This matters because when people are truly seen and supported, they show up differently. They dream bolder, they create more and they contribute with joy instead of just surviving. 

A society that chooses equity builds bridges. A society that clings to surface-level equality builds walls and calls it “fair.” But walls don’t uplift people they just separate them.

Now more than ever, we’re being called to question our standards of fairness. Is it just about giving the same to everyone or is it about giving people what they need to grow, succeed, and shine?

So, whenever you hear this statement, we treat everyone the same here, ask: does everyone have the same needs? You know what, equality is easy. Equity takes thought, it takes much more but it builds a better world, one need at a time.

No Copyright infringement intended.

What’s one time in your life where being treated the same didn’t actually feel fair? Share your response anonymously through this link https://gdpd.xyz/dailygrace

PS: Kindly Follow our WhatsApp Channel at https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VawUlQGBPzjQXzs6fX2Q for more engaging content.

Link Copied!