There are two sorts of equality...
Definition 1. Everyone is equal today. The same level of importance and opportunities.
Definition 2. Everyone wasn't equal yesterday so we will assist those people a little more today to truly balance the differences to eventually have equal opportunities.
An example of my own life.
I am a sound engineer.
Definition 1 says that I and anyone else have the equal opportunity to become that, get the same wage when they do and be treated the same.
Definition 2 says, we need to make it easier for other people who have not had the history or opportunities in this field. I as a white male have history on my side which makes it easier for me today to be apart of that world and once I'm in that world I am perpetually accepted because there are others like me, thus keeping the white male club strong.
The sound engineer example again. I had a much easier time to get into it because my dad was in music... It wasn't the same thing and I still worked very hard independently to get to where I got, but arguably without that slight advantage I may have never made it. This is the same for white males... Because they have been there before, set the rules and benefited from perpetual cultures (a la the rich get richer).
So what definition 2 says it's not just about equality in the moment, but the bigger picture of past present and future. To put it another way... If you watch some sport towards the end of the game and the opposition to your team scores twice, it would be fair to think your team is losing, only it's not, your team is way ahead and they can afford to relax a bit and they still are way ahead on the score board.
If we are fighting about two different types of definitions of equality we will struggle to make progress.
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